Tinkering with the Bat-Tech
by Circle of Phoenix
Summary: Time Travel just got interesting... With Terry testing a new piece of technology something unexpected happens and the Tomorrow Knight finds himself face to face with Heroes of Old. As always Alfred seems to have a solution to every problem. Beta'd by Mystic 777. Thank you.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

In the shadows of Gotham there is an urban legend whispered by those who lived in the city. There were monsters and boogeymen, women who were said to enchant, and men who were capable of producing fear with smiles alone. There were those who were capable of defying the very laws of God and physics as none before them could. They were the Rogues of Gotham countered by the darkness itself. A man who shrouded himself in the image of a bat. His partnerships were famous for the sheer intensity of their brief hours. Only a few were capable of claiming a working trust with the Batman on those occasions.

The first came from a man that existed as the lone voice of reason with no discernible identity. He acted as a mentor and father to the growing young man before he became the Batman. Later, he acted as a conspirator and aided him in his battle against the wretched foes that had destroyed his family.

Later came James Gordon, a reluctant partner to the man who stayed so easily in the shadows. Sharing information about ongoing investigations, arrests, the smaller victories, and subsequent failures. He was known for being as hard to stop as the Batman.

The third came in the form of the Batman's youngest ally. Young Robin, the boy that was capable of balancing the darkness his guardian carried with him. He showed the bat's humanity when others feared needlessly. Robin was the one the Batman relied on to get the victims and innocents away from the battle. Robin was the one that showed the villains the Batman's weakness…

…and Robin was the one they quickly began to understand was truly untouchable. Batman was as human as any of them and that reason alone made him all the more fearsome.

It was like a routine of a broken record. Jagged edges would march under the tune of Gotham's needle until the crack in its black surface would leap under the needle, breaking the rhythm of Gotham's crime network. Turns were taken at odd moments over the course of years. New and old criminals quickly learned that the Batman usually knew when there was a gimmick in the works. He would drop in on them at the most unexpected moments or lead the cops themselves directly into the fray while he kept them distracted from getting away.

(break)

Robin leaned over the side of building he was monitoring, a pair of binoculars loosely held between his fingers against his eyes as he watched a black shape streak across the darkened Gotham skyline directly towards the middle of an old apartment building. There were few people living in the building and few of them were actually home this late at night as many of them were of the less savory type. The Batman had brought them to this location at the behest of Jim Gordon. Rumors around Gotham stated that a minor gang working for Penguin was slipping precious objects and money through the area directly to their boss.

(break)

"You don't tinker with the tech." Terry stated under his breath. His blue eyes narrowed on the sparking circuit board and cut off the deranged laughter left by the Jokerz last attempt at tormenting the city. Connecting with the GCPD's master computer had let in a virus that was causing plenty of havoc in the cities own systems. Discovering the virus while Wayne was out of town had been the frosting on his problem. "You especially don't let _friends_ tinker with the car."

His tone of voice darkened into a near growl over the word friends as he unstrapped the safety harness from over his chest and pushed on the emergency release for the cars sliding back top. The vehicle was designed for optimal response times without sacrificing the hard won technology that had been provided by the league when they would run themselves into debt with the original Batman when they had requested his aid. Bruce had spent many months calling in the favors owed to him by other heroes when Terry had first started as Batman in Gotham. Often earning the teenager a crash course of various types in all the different methods a hero could use to obtain, stall, and detain criminals.

…. Then they had decided to ask both Bats to test an experimental type of Boom-tube for long distance travel.

The virus had gotten past the security protocols, altered the destination information, and promptly spat both Bat and vehicle out at something Terry just _knew_ was going to get him into trouble. Dawn had revealed a horizon Terry had only ever experienced in simulations and seen in historic vids at school. Old town Gotham was the territory of crooks like Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and the Joker. The teenaged Batman pulled himself out of the vehicle as he attempted to figure out his precise location in relation to the original Bat's current mission and likely hood of understanding or even accepting his own story.

The first thing he needed was to get both himself and his ride out of sight with as few complications as possible. There was no doubt he would need some kind of help. Early Bat years had been as complicated as his own start had been. Relying on the cops was definitely not going to be helpful. Attempting to reach the league would only draw unsolicited attention from groups Terry would prefer to keep in the dark about his presence. Getting Wayne's attention would be complicated unless he set out to actually draw the man's alter ego to his location.

Of course, this being Gotham as compared to any other city, chances was best taken if he took immediate action. Which meant going straight to Wayne either in his office or to his home? Terry lifted a brow at the brightening sky as he weighed the two most obvious options. The complications of a brightening sky added pressure he really didn't need. There was the off chance his crash into the top of a building would bring the media down on his location. Of course, there was also the chance of cops and the added incentive of his Boss's presence to keep him from moving too far away. Criminal elements being what they were would also eventually turn up regardless of where or how things would have to be handled.

"So, reporters, cops, criminals, and predecessors." Terry ticked off on his fingers. His masked head tilted back to the fire escape and the not so secure door that led to the inside of the building. He was reluctant to just leave his car exposed to the world with all the essential information anyone would need about the future. Looking at the inside of his car, Terry dug around for his phone. The mobile had been especially developed with integration into other systems in mind. All he really needed was a telephone line and he would be able to call into any number in the city.

Further analysis of the situation he was in was useless. Using the accelerated strength of his suit, Terry forced the hood of the car back into position, secured it with a wireless beacon if anyone happened across the car, and headed for the stairs where he promptly wrenched the door's lock open to access the inside of the building. The green and red presence on the other side of the door halted Terry's tracks before they even began.

"Robin." he drawled, his brow lifting slightly beneath his mask as the older Boy Wonder echoed his own look. The teenaged Batman took a step back when the domino-masked vigilante took a step forward until they were back on the roof. Terry's fingers arced slightly as he began watching the other teenager for signs of aggression as a flick of his wrist closed the door behind him.

"Want to tell me why you're dressed up like that?" the dark haired teenager asked the Tomorrow Knight.

"It's complicated." Terry responded. His attention divided itself between Robin and other potential threats as he began to assess just where the Original Bat might be. Of course, there was the chance that Batgirl was located by if they were not watching the exchange.

"I've got time." Robin countered. "So, I'm Robin. That would make you…?"

Terry smirked. "Batman."

Robin narrowed his brows at the punk's answer as he halted beside the debris of what looked liked a collapsed version of the Batplane. "Cute. Now how about a real answer."

"Your real name is Richard Grayson. People often refer to you as Dick," the pretender stated with enough confidence that Robin's steps faltered just enough to give the guy his confirmation. "As for your boss, well, he likes to refer to himself as Batman while the rest of the world refers to him as Bruce. Should I stop now or would you like me to tell you the name of the butler too?"

Terry knew his mouth was going to get him into trouble. In this case, however it served as just enough of a distraction to allow him to flip over the bolos that had been aimed at him from behind, with just enough time to cut the second pair in half with a projectile Batarang of his own. He had fired his own shot the moment his sensors had picked up the nearly silent hiss of the first device even if the original Batman's weight had thrown them both to the ground. Terry rolled; bring the ends of his gauntlets to bear and shredding the older man's cape as he slipped across the ground.

So, he was considered a threat now? "Not schway." Terry spat out, his second batarang falling easily into his hand as the Dynamic Duo twisted to face him.

The red edges of his own tech glinted under the rising sun as the first Dark Knight resettled his stance and Robin revealed a collapsible bo staff from under his cape.

"We could talk this out?" he suggested, his left hand drifting towards his belt where the invisibility function waited to be used. He really was not in the mood for this to turn into a full out fight… Especially when he needed both of them to stand down so he could actually explain.

"What's your angle?" Batman demanded, his tone dark with promises of what Terry figured meant a lot of pain if he did not answer promptly. The younger Gotham Knight snorted.

"I'm just trying to figure out if you'll believe me or not." Terry responded, echoing his earlier thoughts aloud for the two vigilantes. "Or if you'd even want to believe me. I just know it would be really bad if the cops or media got a hold of the car."

"Car?" Robin mused as they watched the other 'Batman' slip his weapon away into his belt. The guy had a way of taking down their assumptions as he stepped to the side to give one of them a chance to get a good look at what he was describing. The sun caught against the tinted window, bouncing off as Bruce picked up the gadget the person had planted on top of the car with a pair of micro pliers. Examining the blinking light on the bottom, Batman eventually tucked it into his own belt pouch.

"I expect answers." Batman declared as he pulled a remote device from one of his belts compartments to summon the batjet to their location. The unknown watched as the prongs on the batplane parted to pick up his transportation's weight only after Robin had taken a hold of the piloting.

Terry's eyes turned back to Bruce the moment the Boy Wonder pulled away from the building to take a spiraled route back to where ever the plane had come from. Both Knights waited until the two vehicles were gone before Bruce stepped up to the edge of the building. The gleam of a jump cable and grapple earned another humorous smile on the younger vigilante's lips as the man waited.

"I assume you have a way down." Bruce acknowledged, setting out a test for the unknown to see just how much was true. The young man responded without any words, simply stepped up onto the edge beside him, looked around for a moment before stepping off. Bruce felt his heart leap before a pair of what resembled red bat-wings slipped into his line of vision and the young man fell with controlled practice to the street below. He waited beside the car as Bruce followed at a far more controlled pace.

His mind had already focused on the few telling signs he had picked up. The unknown had troubling information on his family and himself. His costume was colored matte black and aside from the red bat symbol would blend easily into dark environments. The batarangs were more complex then the simple designs he readily used. After Robin had collected the single device the unknown had used against the bolo cables, he predicted that the material they were made of was stronger. That left how the other bat had neatly twisted out of what should have been a classic capture method.

The hood of his car slid back before Bruce ordered the smaller figure to get in. The lack of conversation left the two of them with their thoughts as he considered the information the unknown had let them have. His technology was advanced enough to give Bruce enough reason to throw his normal caution to the wind. Robin would have had enough time to alert Alfred to the additional company and proper measures would be put into place.

As soon as they were on the road, the younger 'Batman' began to speak. "I'm not sure how far back in time I've come, but the year I came from is 2040. I won' t tell you anything except for how I made a mistake." he began, his voice carefully neutral. His mask never drifted off the road as Bruce listened, the man taking note of the care the unknown was taking with his information. "I was testing a fast response device for some allies when a computer virus sent everything haywire. Even with knowing the date there is a very small chance I'll actually be able to make it home."

_Home._ The way it was spoken gave the Batman a deeper knowledge then the other had meant to share. The unknown had something important beyond a similar mission, if what he was saying was indeed true. The way the unknown spoke to him likewise revealed a long time familiarity with himself or at least to whomever had been responsible for the suit the red emblazoned Batman wore.

There was tension in the young man's shoulders, his muscles held in a way that told him the unknown had several means of defending himself. Knocking him out with the sleep gas would likely be ineffective. His mask probably contained some form of protection to rendering him completely blind as well. Analyzing the other had consumed most of the drive when his passenger spoke once more.

"I'm stuck here." he said, whether it was to Bruce or himself, the original Batman couldn't quite make out. He did know the young man was quite talkative, omitting only the information that would reveal too much about himself as far as actual words were concerned. That and the fact that he didn't object to Bruce's own silence. He was conscious of things Bruce wasn't quite sure he was comfortable with, reading the older bat with an experience that belied his discomfort in the his presence. The other revealing bit of knowledge was the unknown relied on his suit to provide information that experience should have given him. That meant the unknown was either badly trained, a rookie, or both.

2040 was far enough into the future that the unknown was probably just struggling along.

There was a small chance he would have all the factors. There was an even smaller chance he would ever learn how this 'Batman' came to be. Only when he got the younger vigilante to the Cave would he be free to actually interrogate him. One thing he had revealed was his willing dependency on himself, Robin, and the information that he knew Alfred was in possession of by now. They had been careful not to damage the 'car' which he would be able to examine. The fragment of technology he had slipped into one of his belt pouches would help figure out the mystery of the vigilante's story.

All it would take was a little investigation and work on his part. His eyes narrowed under his mask as he finished processing the abundant information about the unknown and brought the car to a roaring halt within the cave. It was time to get his unwanted guest secured and find out what his partner had learned about the others transportation.

(break)

Chapter 2


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The speed Batman drove along the narrow approach to the Cave would have unnerved most passengers, the mysterious young man simply yawned. The slim lines of the other man's suit revealed a leaner form than his own?-maybe supposing a different fighting style due to lower muscle mass? The uniform he was wearing was no doubt decked out in all sorts of exasperating little mementos that left the older man's thoughts whirling about.

It was no use being paranoid about the kid. Batman already accepted that the unknown was aware of who they were and even who acted in concert with their movements. It was doubtless that he would know who several other people were as well. His technology was something out of a movie or a book and that in itself left a bad taste in the original bat's mouth.

He'd surrendered.

He had 'allowed' them to take his source of transportation to the cave and even allowed himself to be captured. What kind of game was the unknown playing or was it a matter of lesser evils? Was he in fact some kind of plant from one of his own Rogues? Had the Joker or Riddler figured out who the Batman really was and decided to play with his head?

By the time he had exhausted any feasible theories and questions about the young man's presence and dress they had reached the center of the cave. The hood of the car slid back and both men leaped out of the tight confines of the vehicle.

"Man, I'd forgotten how slow I'd read fossil fuel cars ran," the unknown muttered before turning to locate his own transportation. "So, what do you want to do first? Interrogate me or have me remove my mask?"

There was an accustomed method of speaking to him in the unknown's voice. Bruce scowled under his cowl at the young man. He was acting like a teenager...

"How old are you?" The question was unintended, and yet...

"That would be telling." the other bat responded. "The place doesn't look like a museum and there is actually no guano."

There was a soft presence behind the younger Batman as the younger spoke. It wasn't until Alfred Pennyworth had cleared his throat at the comments did the unknown jump to look askance at the much older man.

"I've had the privilege of understanding you know who I am, young sir. However your identity eludes us all. I cannot bring myself to call you by the name you have presented yourself with so I suggest you either pick a new one or settle on being called, "Hey, You". Are there any objections?"

Terry flinched at the scathing tone in Alfred's voice. Forcing them to take him captive might not have been well thought out, however it was his last choice given the circumstances on his part. His thoughts roved around for a time or two before he settled on the only option left. Telling Alfred the truth wouldn't affect his future because as a young kid he had simply never met the man. Alfred would be dead long before he was born.

"I can't tell either the present day Batman or Robin anything about myself, Mister Pennyworth. I am willing to concede the truth to you. I will answer all of your questions. so long as you promise to keep the more sensitive information to yourself." Terry responded. "I simply cannot answer the questions I know Bruce and Dick have for me."

The offer to let Alfred interrogate him came as swiftly as his choice to go with Batman and Robin had. It was a matter of principle and security when his own future was up for grabs because of the boom tube stunt. He had to ensure that he was trusted by them so that he could either wait out the technology he needed or at least until he could secure an identity for himself.

"I'm not crazy, Mister Wayne. I'm just a little caught up in some personal business that went really wrong," Terry added as Batman 1.0 walked past him towards the giant computer that dominated the central area.

"You offer to answer any questions Alfred has for you so long as neither I nor Robin try to gain anymore information about your history. Do you really think we will believe you? Or trust you with a man who has never been in the field? No, I don't think I'll allow you to do that." Batman retorted, as he continued to stalk away from Terry. "I'll ask the questions. You'll just have to do your best to answer well enough to convince me to believe your story."

Terry McGinnis was well used to dealing with Bruce at his worst. This... was almost like that time he had initially stolen the suit to bring his father's killer to justice. The same stubborn streak from that time reared its head as Terry tensed his shoulders under the thin fabric of his costume. "I'm already cooperating, Mister Wayne. Out of respect for your teachings and the shared responsibility of Gotham, I'm asking you to trust me enough to know I cannot do anything to endanger the future."

"We do not have confirmation that you are indeed from the future. Advanced technology is only a part of the story. We have to confirm your identity before we can even begin to trust you." Batman countered. "We don't even know what you look like, Batman."

Gritting his teeth, Terry reached up and tore the mask from his face so that he could stare Batman down as himself. "My existence is dependent upon the things that happen in the next few decades. I cannot and will not tell you more than I have to."

Terry scrubbed a gloved hand through his hair as the teenager ignored the slightly shocked stares of the three males as he let out a harsh breath. Getting through Bruce was only part of the fight. He still would need to contend with Dick Grayson and Alfred Pennyworth.

"Sirs, perhaps a cup of tea while Master Bruce determines what shall be done?" Alfred offered as both Bats came to a standstill in their argument. Even Dick Grayson had a hard time absorbing the sudden revelation of Terry's young face. Robin had been acting as Bruce's sidekick since he was a young boy and never had he imagined going solo at such a young age.

Terry started at the offer. "Not that I don't enjoy tea, but I'm used to rounding out the night with coffee."

Terry moved away from the group to find his vehicle taking up a place on the opposite ledge. Swiping his mask back over his face, Batman leaped off to examine the car for further information in the contained area. His priorities had shifted with the contained area of the cave protecting his identity from being discovered. A second thought occurred to him as he powered on the vehicle to slide the top back and glance at the damage inside. There was no physical sign of the things that had gone wrong and the out of place League technology predominated the space behind his seat. Terry let out a breath as he shut the hood into place again and rigged up the security system to prevent further information from getting out.

"I don't suppose I can keep using the name, can I?" he said as he turned to find Robin eyeing him. Robin crossed his arms as he continued to glare at the younger teenager. "Fine. Pick a name to call me. We'll just go with that."

"Why don't we just use your name?" Robin asked; "I know for sure that Bruce and Alfred would find that a lot easier to deal with than any contrived alternative you were thinking."

Terry let out a breath. There was no denying the fact that he was completely inexperienced with deep cover. Using at least the most common version of his name would ease up tensions that were still building and showing off his suit's abilities would only make it worse. "Slag. Fine. I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you a part of my name and you'll let me change clothes."

Terry didn't think concessions were going to be coming very easily from any of the room's occupants as Alfred had already disappeared to make coffee or tea and Robin was acting as a baby sitter even as Batman had stepped back towards the computer to run whatever programs he could. Batman and Robin were obviously trying to play good cop and bad cop with him. Problem was, Batman had not been expecting Terry to give as good as he got.

The Tomorrow Knight was far better equipped dealing with the original Batman, than he was in dealing with Robin or Alfred. It was a tough set of choices, but getting Alfred to act as his babysitter instead of Dick would be much better for all of them. There was no doubt that Bruce would try to obtain a DNA sample and that could really upset things if he discovered who the younger Bat was before it was time to actually know.

Getting Superman involved might get him access to the technology he needed, however, he didn't think the two superheroes had actually met yet. It was impossible to obtain the proper information without getting the first Batman to trust him.

That's what it all came back to. Bruce was paranoid, Dick had a temper, Alfred was something of a mystery, and he himself had to protect his personal information. No answer had been forthcoming to his suggestion for a few minutes and it was finally time he got an answer. "Well?"

"You'll be shown to a guest room until we can figure out what to do with you." Bruce finally stated. "At least until you give me the name of one of your parents."

"Not going to happen." Terry snapped. His eyes narrowed under his cowl as he used the steps to get back to where the two men were. His patience was beginning to wear thin the longer they danced around the subject. They already knew what he looked like. No doubt, Bruce had been running facial recognition software since then. Taking off his mask was going to happen sooner or later but he should have used the domino in his belt or at least waited until he was alone. Still, not even that would have certified anything...

(break)

The kid was throwing out everything he could think of to ally himself to the three of them. He bargained instead of threatened. He made a show of trying to ease their concerns by giving them a face, a method of questioning him, and even going so far as letting them call him a different name. Regardless, Bruce felt that the teenager had a limit to his patience and he was no doubt quickly reaching a point where he would do something about his situation. Letting someone with his kind of gear out in Gotham unattended wouldn't do. So, he would set the rules and see how far this future 'Batman' would let himself be pushed.

The second glaring reason Bruce was so reluctant to let the Unknown out on his own at this juncture was the fear he hadn't come alone. What if someone or something had followed him through that piece of technology he had explained? There were a dozen or more scenarios he could think of and getting the kid to trust him with his information was only the first step.

"Alfred will provide you with the things you'll need for a few days. I will ask that you not leave the house until we can come to an understanding. I'm sure you know we'll be checking with the GCPD for any missing teenagers or stolen goods that match what you've revealed to have in your possession." Bruce stated. "You promised us a name. Let's hear it."

The younger Batman let out a long held breath of air before holding his eyes as he spoke. "Terry. You can call me Terry."

"As you say, Master Terry. If you would follow me I'll serve the refreshments while you make use of the changing room. Gentlemen, if you would please allow our young guest to change his clothes I'm sure you would all do better with a spot of breakfast." Alfred hedged, jumping into the conversation as Dick fled into the changing room, shortly ahead of Terry, before Bruce followed. The butler waited a few seconds more as he recalled the facial structure of the young man.

There were a few differences yet the teenager spoke and acted so much like Master Bruce had at that age, that Alfred was beginning to fret. Why would a young man be so compelled to become Batman when he looked so much like his predecessor? Had Master Bruce met with an unlikely fate? Or was it something else entirely?

Perhaps the young man wasn't Master Bruce's son, but his grandson? Alfred allowed his mind to worry even as he began the methodical process of preparing tea and arranging food for the three men to consume before heading off to bed. There would likely be a discussion about how to deal with their young guest and if Alfred would be the one to handle the inquires into his true motives.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

A warm shower, a change of clothes and a small meal made a world of difference on a person's outlook. Terry had been locked in his room and while he could easily use one of his hidden gadgets to escape, his sensible side—which sounded remarkably like his Bruce—told him to reserve any advantage for an emergency. The room was decorated in contrasting shades of browns and tans. The bed, while large, was covered in a checkerboard cover and the large window faced towards the west grounds. The security system was nothing he couldn't undo if he really wanted to, considering how advanced the system was in his time.

The greatest risk he currently faced was Bruce Wayne discovering too much about his identity and taking steps to ensure Terry never got his hands on the suit. Reasonably, he had become as paranoid as the damn bat himself and yet... Terry had been fired before he was ever really at what Bruce considered to be At Risk with the Joker, Bruce had tried to pull the almighty god damned batman routine on the newest member of his little family.

Yet, each and every time Bruce failed to make him quit. Terry had managed to keep the name and the suit through sheer stubborn will. Well, maybe there was also the fact that for Terry becoming Batman was a form of redemption. He, like Bruce, would rather avoid discussing his past.

Yeah, secrets were part of the Bat Family.

Sometimes you had to give some of them away though and as a consequence, he knew whatever he told Alfred would be heard by the other two. He wasn't naive enough to think his room wasn't bugged as well as wherever they decided to interrogate him. His predecessors were bound to record and analyze every movement and sound he made, both awake and asleep. Frankly, Terry couldn't blame them, he'd do the same in their position.

For the second time in his life, Terry wondered if Bruce would figure out all he needed to do was give the voice command to have access to everything Terry possessed. Safety overrides had been programmed into the suit and the car should the unthinkable happen and someone obtain the tech.

Then it would only be a short trip to Arkham...

Terry's will hardened as he formed plans to deal with both Batman and Robin. Before he could get too far into his plans, a knock sounded on his door and Alfred Pennyworth entered his room with a covered tray and a newspaper. The butler looked unsurprised to find Terry standing in the middle of the room gazing out at the blue of the daytime sky.

"I suspected you would be awake, Master Terry." He explained as he set a coffee tray down on the table. "I'm aware you've already eaten and based on your age I suspect you are used to going to school at this hour. A better time then any to discuss your presence. Shall we get started?"

Terry slumped into the chair across from Alfred as the old man went about serving them both a portion of tea. "What are you curious about?" Terry asked, launching into the conversation as easily as if he was discussing a topic at school.

"I would like to know the nature of your relationship with Master Bruce." Alfred replied, stirring two lumps of sugar into his tea as he locked blue eyes on the astonishingly familiar face in front of him.

Terry let out a huff of laughter. "In my time I'm Wayne's personal assistant." He responded drolly. "Why?"

The answer was not one that Alfred had been expecting and it sent a pang through him that this boy might not even be aware of how deep the connection ran and if indeed Master Bruce had ever given thought to what that meant. It was indeed a shame the boy was not aware of the depths his family history ran into Gotham. So, why had he become Batman then if not to carry on the legacy?

"I'm intrigued. What made you decide to step into Master Bruce's role?" Alfred inquired, watching Terry's facial expressions as he spoke.

A flash of guilt and sorrow replaced the boredom on the teenager's face as he set his cup aside. He hesitated to reveal his reasons and then realized that nothing beyond a strong reason could hope to justify encroaching upon the renowned title.

"My father died." Terry whispered. "We didn't have a good relationship and before he died I'd said some pretty harsh things. I left the house and got into some trouble and by the time I got home... Dad was dead. This gang caught the blame for it and I'd thought that would be the end of it. GCPD was wrong. I was wrong."

There was a tension in the dark haired boy's shoulders as he dropped his head to look at his nails and rubbed his palms together. Anxiety worked its way into his voice as Terry closed his eyes against the memories. "My father was killed because he'd learned of a toxic agent being produced at his work. By that time I had worked out who Bruce was and I went to him. I had the proof and he told me to take it to the cops."

Glancing through his bangs, Terry watched Alfred for his reaction. The old butler remained still, keeping leveled eyes on him as the teenager began to speak again. His voice deepened to match the same one he used when he was speaking through the suit. His resolve stiffened his shoulders as he carefully explained what happened next. "I never made it to the police because the guy who ordered the murder of my old man... He came and got the single piece of evidence that existed. I don't know what happened to it after that."

"I just couldn't let my father's murderer go," He stated simply.

Alfred worried. Could the boy have killed the murderer?

"I went back to the house, infiltrated the cave, and took the suit." Terry added. "I did what I had to. Not before Wayne found out and tried to shut me down and talk me out of this path. Got the tar beat out of me, learned a few things, and was offered a job at the end of it all. That's how I became Batman. Anything else you want to ask me, Mister Pennyworth?"

That explained quite a bit however there was more and Alfred wanted to know everything.

"You failed to mention other family, partners, how the city took to a new Batman." Alfred pointed out.

Here, Terry smirked. "I work alone. My family... I'd prefer if we left them out of this conversation. Somethings just don't need to be explained. Gotham hates me. I'm a punk kid who came out of nowhere and revived a ghost from its past."

The child obviously had a low opinion of himself as he referred to himself in the negative. The murder of his father would have given Bruce enough of a jolt to allow him to let the boy use the suit, but why keep going? Was there something else?

"Who did your father work for?" Alfred pressed. There was something there in the dark of Terry's eyes as the boy shook his head.

"Much as I want to tell you, I can't risk it. I hate it, Mister Pennyworth, that just a few words could change everything. I could save my father, prevent so much pain from happening, and at the cost of what? Everything that Wayne, Grayson, the other people that have sacrificed to reach? That's something I can't do. I cannot interfere and I'll have to carry that with me. Do you understand, Mister Pennyworth? What it means to put duty over everything else? I... want to go home and the technology doesn't even exist. If it'll ever exist. The car has some kind of virus and I don't have the faintest clue on how to fix it." Terry stated, placing his chin in his palm as he settled an elbow on the arm of his chair.

Suppressing the urge to console the teenager, Alfred poured him another cup of tea and sat with him quietly as he continued to work out different questions to ask. Alfred tightened his grip on his cup as he considered something else. The boy spoke as if he had already given up. As if he was resigned to the perpetuation of his current fate. "You are prepared to live as a prisoner in this household, aren't you?"

"No. I don't think I could give up the mission that has become a part of me. There are small things I can do that will keep me occupied and let Bruce focus on the mission he's so obsessed over." Terry countered. Setting the cup on the table, the dark haired teenager flicked his wrist for a red lined batarang to appear in his palm. The bladed weapon was sharp in contrast to the lines of the regular batarangs Bruce used. "I'm not asking anyone to look after me. I'm used to earning my allowance but..."

There was a click of his bedroom door as Bruce strolled in. Never mind that Terry's lips quirked slightly at the invasion of privacy. The scowls both Bats' wore were of equal intensity and Alfred blinked. He would definitely be running a DNA test when he left the room. His own curiosity demanded he answer the questions he'd thought of when he had first met the lad. "You're not going anywhere until we figure out who you are, Terry. If that's even your real name."

"Are we really going back to square one, Wayne? I'm not asking for a hand out." Terry countered. "I know you think I'm either a punk who made some lucky guesses or someone who was planted to work against you."

In other words, Alfred realized, the teenager worked exclusively with Bruce and possibly even thought like him. Standing, the butler began to collect the dishes as the two Bats challenged each other in a staring contest that ironically seemed like a battle of wills.

There was an expulsion of air before Bruce softly cursed under his breath and turned away from Terry. "Alfred, when Leslie arrives please escort her to our guest. I want to know if he belongs in Arkham."

"You don't have to talk about me like I'm not here." Terry snapped, ignoring the fact that Wayne had obviously decided he was just plain nuts. Again. His fingers flicked the red batarang open and closed several more times before he tucked the device away. Stepping back towards the window, Terry dismissed them, muttering darkly under his breath as Alfred and Bruce talked about him. Oddly, it seemed almost fitting that he was louder than Bruce. "What's another shrink meeting..."

Bruce grunted as if he wanted to say something more however he came to a halt when Alfred placed a hand on his arm. "Perhaps, sir, it would be best to leave our guest to his thoughts."

Clearly displeased with the idea, Bruce nodded his consent to Alfred's suggestion. Terry snorted. Alfred hadn't suggested anything. The Butler had blatantly ordered Bruce to quit harassing him for the time being and got away with it.

"Very good, sir. Master Terry I wish you a pleasant rest. Doctor Thompkins is a well respected woman." He advised. "Hardly a shrink though she is rather accomplished in treating such individuals to a limited extent."

"Of course." Terry replied. "Just let me know where I need to go."

Appeased by his submission, the butler pinned his employer with a stern look. Bruce scowled but slunk out of the room, the elder man closing and securing the door behind him. He couldn't help but huff a small laugh at the irony, of all the guest rooms in Wayne manor they locked him in the room that he claimed as his own in the distant future. Terry's brow lifted as he stared at himself in the window's reflection. A theory struck him and he couldn't help but laugh.

Muttering aloud to himself, "I knew he was paranoid, but man... Maybe I should argue more?"

Feeling the stress of his situation sneaking up on him, Terry headed for the bed and collapsed face down on the mattress. The soft fabric rubbed his skin as being all wrong before he shut his eyes. Terry tried to combat the explosive need to just go home. Homesickness wouldn't help right now. He'd been through too much in his life to expect an easy happy ending. "Just think of it as training, McGinnis."

He clutched the pillows until his knuckles grew white and shook as he fought a sudden, crushing sense of despair. Not even the loss of his father had shaken him so completely. He needed to find a way home and starting from square one building trust with Bruce just so he could use his resources...

(break)

Dick Grayson watched the video feed in something of a thoughtful mood. He'd heard everything that was said and had settled for playing a neutral role while Bruce and Alfred ganged up on the poor kid. Alfred was busy running DNA tests on 'Terry's' dishes while Bruce hunted through an absurd amount of records trying to figure out where the Unknown had come from.

Or who he really was...

The teenager bounded off the bed and paced the room a scowl on his young face. "Slag it." The dark haired youth exclaimed. "Those dregs..."

"He's using some kind of weird language. Possibly a code? It's not like anything I've heard before." Dick said, adding the odd comments to the list of notes everyone was taking.

In a gesture eerily like Bruce Wayne, he ran his hand through his longish bangs as he stalked around the room scowling. The two older men glanced at the screen as Dick leaned closer to the screen, trying to assess if he was really seeing what he was seeing. Dick Grayson snorted back a laugh as soon as he realized what he was looking at.

"What is so amusing, young master?" Alfred asked, inquiring after the broken laughter the Robin was making.

A glance towards both his peers led the young man to point towards the screen in explanation. "He acts a lot like you do, Bruce, especially when you're brooding."

Dick felt the glare and snickered to himself as his mentor and guardian forced himself to turn back to his own project. Bruce was determined to find a genetic relation to Terry Unknown or figure out how he managed to get away with such advanced technology. Likely they had fallen for some kind of trap, yet, the lack of information was certainly upsetting Bruce's carefully planned agenda.

"So, we've got a few hours to kill. I think I'll head up to bed. I've got an exam Monday and I really need to study and have a clearer head than I did last week." Dick suddenly stated, stretching both arms above his head. Groaning, the young vigilante stood up and tilted his head towards the stairs. "Anything you need me to do before I call it a morning?"

Bruce ignored the question as Alfred turned to answer him. "Dinner will be served at four o'clock, Master Dick."

"Sure thing, Al. Night." The Boy Wonder called before disappearing up the stairs and leaving his guardians to their projects.


	4. Chapter 4

Stepping out of the forensics lab, Alfred set across the cave expanse until he was at Bruce Wayne's elbow. The younger man looked up at his butler and frowned at what could only be called a disappointed look in Alfred's eyes.

"What is it?" Bruce asked, flinching away from the disappointment in the elderly man's set lips.

Alfred had to shake away his suspicions about the young man upstairs and focus on the one in front of him. There had to be a reason for Terry's lack of knowledge on his relation to Bruce Wayne. If he weren't from the future, his existence was impossible. Bruce Wayne was too young to have a son Terry's age. Terry was much too young to be a younger, half brother... considering when Bruce's parents died.

Tapping the file with a finger, Alfred started; "Perhaps you should read the report for yourself and determine what you want to believe."

Bruce looked at the manila covered file as he collected his thoughts. Alfred was rarely wrong and when he was he quickly tried to fix his mistakes. He resolved his problems before they could be made Bruce's problems. He had nurtured the Batman and he had helped train and raise Robin. Now, his faithful friend, surrogate father, and greatest ally was telling him...

"What are you trying to say?" Bruce forced himself to ask. He dared not jump to conclusions.

"That boy is either your brother or your son. Though neither possibility is likely based on your personal history. I do not think you were a careless young man and I know your father was ever faithful to your mother." Alfred stated, placing the paperwork on the computer keyboard for Bruce to read. "I do not know how else to explain the circumstances other than the concession that time travel becomes possible some time in Gotham's future."

Taking the paper into his hands, Bruce set to reading the entire report as he flicked over the patterns. A comparison had obviously been run by Alfred directly against Bruce Wayne. Had the butler even looked at other candidates?

"What made you think he was mine? That he wasn't lying?" Bruce directed. "What makes you so certain?"

"There is the simple fact that he is unaware of the relation to the Wayne family. Without knowing the young man's identity I cannot be certain. He certainly did not respond to you as if you were related and he has very limited knowledge of just who Master Dick is." Alfred replied. "All of that is beside the point. That child is either what he claims to be or he has somehow managed to fool the computer."

Bruce leaned heavily on his palms as he pushed himself up to stare hard at the monitors. "I don't doubt you, Alfred... I just need to be certain."

"What do you plan to accomplish?" the butler asked, concern bringing him to stand beside Bruce as the younger man walked towards the car.

"If you are correct, then there should be some kind of override on his vehicle. If I really went so far as to let another person take my identity and use it there would be measures in place to not only ensure his safety, but to..." He stopped, suddenly flashing Alfred a look of mixed emotions as the butler swallowed. "What did he say?"

"Master Terry may have obtained the cowl through ilicit means." Alfred mentioned. "Yet, I do believe it has done him some good."

Did it matter? Bruce asked himself. The teenager knew Bruce and his tactics. Did he know Bruce would go looking for the overrides? If the teenager was to be believed then the protocols would exist. If they didn't then he would have to either send the teenager to Arkham or house him indefinitely. Either possibility left a sour taste in the billionaire's mouth as he began to examine the vehicle for some kind of access port.

"Master Bruce?" Alfred began only to break off a moment later.

The Batman stiffened as he reached what he believed to be the primary hatch. Bruce responded. "If someone was to come to you and say that they were you, in any context, wouldn't you find the idea to be completely ludicrous?"

Nodding, Alfred ventured over to join his charge in searching the vehicle for evidence to contradict the things the boy had stated. Despite what he believed, there was no point in arguing with Bruce when he had set his mind to something. In this case, Bruce believed the boy to have somehow fabricated a story to ease himself into Bruce Wayne's life.

(Break)

At two in the afternoon Leslie Tompkins drove to Wayne Manor for the appointment her clients had asked for. The doctor let herself in as soon as she alerted Alfred she had arrived. The butler met her on the steps of the stairwell leading to the inner confines of the manor.

"You have likely already performed tests, Alfred. Why was I called here? Did Bruce inhale more of Ivy's toxins?" She asked, taken aback at the locks on the outside the room they arrived at.

Withdrawing a key from his suit pocket Alfred unlocked the door for her. "We have doubts about the boy we discovered in the last twenty four hours. As I explained on the telephone prior to your visit..."

Alfred cut off as soon as Leslie pushed past him to gain access to the room. The young man she had expected to evaluate for Bruce was in the middle of crunches and had frozen at her entrance. His feet were bare of any shoes and the exhausted look on his face only settled a worm of worry into her thoughts.

The boy obsessed over something...

"I am Doctor Thompkins. I have agreed to give you a physical and mental examination to determine if you are mentally..." She started before the teenager snorted.

"Lady, I am sure that anyone the old man called in for this type of thing is simply a footnote by now. However, you cannot proceed with any kind of exam without my guardian's approval. As for Wayne... he's not my guardian." Terry responded, pushing himself to his feet as he met the doctor's eyes with a fire she had not seen since Bruce was a child.

"I see. You have thought through the situation and chosen to edit your original story? Perhaps if you come clean now Master Terry we can send you home straight away." Alfred said, following Leslie into the room as the teenager walked around the room. A pair of boots and gloves rested on the edge of the unused bed.

Terry bit back a bitter laugh. He still did not know the exact date however he was aware that Dick Grayson was still Robin. "You are not going to believe me and neither is Wayne. DNA tests and psychological evaluations are not going to change anything. I have already decided to leave."

Getting involved with Wayne, letting himself be taken captive when he knew what would happen had been stupid. His inner Bat had been going crazy since he followed through on his gut instinct.

"Just how do you plan to care for yourself?" The doctor asked.

"I'm sixteen. I think I can manage a fast food joint or something." Terry countered.

"We are not letting you go anywhere." Bruce growled from the door. "Not when you are carrying sensitive information about my family."

Terry blinked. "What does that have to do with anything? Its not like we are related."

Alfred swallowed. The truth he had worried over was about to be revealed in an unfavorable setting. Bruce stiffened his shoulders while the boy straightened his back. All the signs were there of two bulls about to run headlong at one another unless his own former ward did something about the growing situation.

Bruce furrowed his brow. The aborted search of Terry's car had revealed nothing new and the Batman loathed knowing nothing about this person than what he had revealed. In some fashion they had his life story however it could not be confirmed as the truth. Then, the thought of letting a minor wander Gotham on his own...

"Its interesting how you failed to mention that when we first offered to contact your guardians. In fact, you seemed rather reluctant to give any personal information at all. I've come to the conclusion that your plans have failed and you are seeking to escape the consequences of your actions." Bruce declared. His voice softened, turning to velvet over steel as he continued talking. "Or the possibility that you were a pawn in someone else's game to get to me. My family's blood runs through your veins, Terry."

Terry lifted a brow at Wayne's declaration. Alfred and the doctor also seemed taken aback by the sudden display from Bruce even as he turned his back on the room ready to walk away.

"It seems as if my services won't be needed after all." Leslie whispered. Though she did not move from her spot, the doctor watched as the kid paled in the following silence.

"What...?" Shutting down his line of thinking on that thought, Terry scrambled to collect himself. His car was safer in the batcave than on the streets. His uniform was mostly stowed on him. But Warren McGinnis was his father. Yet, Bruce had never lied to him. Did not tell him things, true, however the old man had never lied to Terry.

"When we have the full truth of your identity and reasons for being here I will take steps to help you. You trusted us enough to come with us. Yet now you seem unwilling to continue trusting us. Why?" Bruce demanded, turning back stare at the teenager. His uncertain fingers twitched as the teenager sank to the bed's surface.

Terry let out a breath. "I know certain things are better kept in your hands. Other things have to be kept away even from you though."

"Would it be so hard to continue trusting us?" Dick Grayson asked from the room's doorway. "You trusted us to begin with, Terry. So, how about everyone eats something so we can discuss this like civilized people? Food makes everything better."

Terry twitched. Bruce grunted. Alfred smiled as he took the doctor by her slender hands and led her pass the arguing males into the hallway. "We shall endeavor to provide a meal for everyone while Master Dick gets everyone settled down."

Once the two oldest group members were gone, Bruce rounded on Terry. Watching the two of them in the same room again left the unmasked Robin with the impression that he was looking at two versions of the same person. Again.

There wasn't a costume to hide their expression as both Bats' settled their feet into the carpet. Terry had felt a far more experienced Bruce Wayne's wrath both in and out of the costume. This one was definitely of the same caste yet he lacked the bitterness of years to back him up. "You are not going to believe me, regardless of what I do or say, so I do not think sticking around is going to work for me."

Bruce said. "How were you expecting to get around?"

Something dropped from under the younger Batman's feet at the statement. "What?"

"You need a lot of things in order to get around; the least of all is an address and identification. How do you plan to do that?" Bruce demanded. The teenager's shoulders tightened under the strain of keeping it together. Dick saw it coming and Bruce caught on a split second before it happened. Stress had a way of working on someone and it just so happened that the Bats dealt with things physically when cornered.

"Slag it," Terry said. His eyes shot up to Bruce and before he could move to avoid it, the Batman of Tomorrow lashed out and planted a right hook against Bruce Wayne's jaw.

The original Batman fell back against the door frame as Dick gaped. Apparently, the teenager was a bit faster than Bruce was. He was just surprised that the kid was able to actually land the punch. Bruce wasn't wrong, Terry admitted to himself, however he had earned that. After months of frustration dealing with the original Batman, Terry had finally had enough. Bruce wasn't eighty something years old. He was in his late twenties. Dick Grayson was on the verge of becoming Nightwing.

"We aren't that different." Bruce declared, thinking about how callous he had been with the boy. He could not deny that Alfred was telling him the truth. The boy, Terry, had his blood in him. All the facts were there for anyone looking. Rubbing his jaw, Bruce stepped away from the door frame as he spoke and set both hands on the teenager's shoulders. "The question now, Terry, is what are we going to do? Running away won't solve this problem. Fighting it won't really work either. We can try and solve this logically or we can work against one another. It's your choice now."


	5. Chapter 5

Alfred Pennyworth valued many things and the one thing he placed a priority over in his life was Bruce Wayne and later Dick Grayson. Terry, little more than a child really, had come into their lives as dramatically as Batman swept in on crime scenes. How he came to exist and know so little of his connection to Bruce Wayne had astounded the butler. Bruce had told the teenager that they were genetically related, leaving them all wondering to what degree. In truth, the teenager had complicated their lives.

How was a boy like Terry McGinnis supposed to live in their world? Sorting through the magazines, Alfred paused over one single magazine featuring a special story on the medical history of treating fertility. The Butler swept the magazine up and opened the glossy pages to the article it mentioned. Scanning quickly through the paragraphs he came across the first mentioned efforts of sperm donors and the other assorted treatments offered even before he was born.

It was a long shot, however, it would give Terry McGinnis a much needed explanation for being alive. Reaching for the phone in the home office, Alfred dialed the private line of Bruce Wayne.

(Break)

Bruce had said "We" not the singular "I" or "You" Terry had grown used to. This perhaps was the Bruce that had been used to pursuing partnerships, unencumbered by years fighting a war that never seemed to have an end. The single pay off being a reduction of violent crimes for a mere decade and a little more. Bruce Wayne was through and through the Batman. That wasn't to mean he couldn't make mistakes, but he was the origin of the name and only quit after his age-weakened body forced retirement on him.

"What am I doing giving up like that?" Terry said. He began to think about the car's on-board computer system as he flopped over onto his side. The fabric of his borrowed shirt bunched under his side while the dark haired teenager stared hard at the wall opposite of the door. The cream colored paint had been replaced in the future with a blue and tan paint job by the time he came on the scene. The subtle difference jarred his mind, reminding him that this was not his place or his time. He had people and responsibilities to get back to. Terry scrunched his brows together as he lay there. "Just because the technology doesn't exactly exist, yet doesn't mean I still don't have the car or the suit. There has to be something useable on one of them, if not both."

If nothing else, there might even be some kind of emergency file he could use to explain what had happened better. Wayne was definitely paranoid enough for it. A knock on his door drew Terry from his goal of pursuing clues through suit and car.

"Yeah?" he asked, as he rolled to a sitting position on the bed.

Opening the door, Dick Grayson hovered in the entry way. His hands were shoved into his pockets as he stared at him. "We should talk."

"About what?" The hairs on the back of Terry's neck rose. This family was big on talking. He was used to half explained orders and gut instinct. Something he thought this first Robin might be the start of, if he was theorizing correctly.

"Bruce said you were related somehow. I noticed that you completely blew that off and while I'm willing to let some things go, not that. Never that. So, why don't you explain to me how you became Batman." Dick Grayson leveled a hard stare at the juvenile Batman.

Terry let out a sharp breath. He'd sworn to himself he hadn't heard that earlier. "I already told the Butler." he answered.

"Alfred didn't tell me. You seem to know a few things about Bruce and very little about either of us. That makes certain things tricky. Besides, the more facts we have to work with, the more we can help each other. So, let's go down to the cave and work out some of those facts, hmm?" Dick offered, reasoning that trapping the teenager inside a small room for several hours with nothing to do might not have been a wise move.

"I can't give you an answer about being related to Wayne or not. My family isn't even in the same league as his." Terry answered, though not without getting to his feet so he could follow the older teenager into the cave. He needed to get to the car anyway if he was going to search for a file that might have some kind of plan on it. "My time is more than a generation away. Wayne's old enough to become my grandfather or great grandfather if he had an early start by the time I became Batman. He'd been retired for twenty years before that even."

"How old is Bruce in your time?" Dick asked, increasingly curious about unmasking this future Batman. More than a generation between Terry and them, a lot could happen in that time frame. "What kind of relationship do you two have?"

Scratching the back of his head, Terry gave him an amused look. "Eighty-five, as for work… I was kind of hired as his personal assistant."

Dick smirked, though mostly as a polite answer to Terry's words. Bruce, it seemed, would change a lot over the next decade or so. "I'm sure there are answers to all your questions. We just need to look in the right places."

(break)

Throwing down his pen, Bruce leaned back in his office chair at Wayne Tech as the situation with the time traveling teenager came back into his thoughts. Bruce had no way of explaining the teenager's existence and the added complication of the boy seeming to be unaware of their genetic relationship. What did that spell for him in the future? Who was the boy's mother?

How was he going to get a time displaced child back to where he was supposed to be? Even from the few conversations with him, Bruce knew the young man wasn't the sort to sit around placidly if there were steps he could take to fight the evils that plagued Gotham.

Bruce frowned at that. There was no way he was going to let some teenager become a vigilante twenty four seven. Even he had to have some kind of social life considering the amount of stress his night job put out. Realistically, getting the child home would have come first, but given the nature of his technology, it might be beyond them. If that was the case he'd have to drum up some kind of story for the kid.

His fingers tapped out a rhythm on his desk as his secretary entered his office with a tray of coffee and the day's documents waiting to be signed. "Is something wrong, sir?" she asked when she noticed her boss's less than pleasant glare.

"It's nothing, really." Bruce responded halfheartedly. If only it could be explained better…

The shrill ring of his personal phone cut off the billionaire's thoughts as he quickly answered. "What is it, Alfred?"

"I have an answer to our young guest's problem, sir. Perhaps you can come home earlier so we can discuss it?" Alfred asked. The heightened tension in the Butler's proper voice pulled at Bruce's gut.

"Rebecca, I'll be taking an early day. There are some things at home I need to take care of." he excused himself as he quickly gathered up his coat, files, and phone. "Have Sam inform the rest of the board that a family emergency has come up."

It seemed as if he was always running somewhere else today. First the cave, then the teenager's room, then work. What was next?

(break)

Bruce flipped the page he was reading twice before he carefully set the magazine down. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to his Butler who stood ill at ease with his former ward. It was a rough answer however it could realistically be pulled off. Though, not without some distasteful and abhorrent thoughts.

"I'm not sure if I want to agree with this Alfred." Bruce said in a tone of voice that gave nothing away. His shoulders were rigged, his back tight, and he could only shudder under the pressure of what his mentor was asking of him. To give Terry a life in Gotham, something to anchor his existence in case he wasn't able to go home, left the Batman with a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I don't even think young master Terry would agree." Alfred responded; "However, that is of little consequence."

"You're suggesting I pretend that my father had a son with another woman or something of that ilk." Bruce snapped.

"It is not beyond feasible, sir." Alfred responded, picking up the final piece of the puzzle. "When I washed the young man's clothing I found this in one of the pockets. A picture of what I presume is his family."

Taking the photograph, it's material unfamiliar to Bruce, he scanned the image and then glanced up at his parents profiles on the giant painting that hung over the fire. The resemblance was uncanny except for the image of the younger boy, their guest's family could have been a mirror image of his own.

"What did he tell you about them?" Bruce asked, terrified of what the answer could very well be, but needing it all at the same time.

"His father and he did not get along very well. I do not doubt that Master Terry loved the man and that is why he became Batman. The man in that picture was by his words murdered." Alfred explained. "The young man carries a burden of his own, different from yours, but similar enough that your future self aided him in his current pursuit."

Bruce tilted his head slightly. "Alfred, how did you acquire Terry's things? I don't remember him giving them to you."

Alfred flushed. "I took the liberty of removing them from the cave and washing the entire contents of the backpack. I left everything that wasn't machine washable in the dressing room."

Bruce half wondered if the Butler had washed the future Batman's uniform as well. "Alfred, please, tell me you didn't wash his batsuit?"

"It was rather filthy, sir." he answered, wondering why Bruce was going so pale. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"He had parts of it with him in the room." Bruce stated. "It's a technology we aren't familiar with and we don't know what we can and cannot do with his things."

"Oh, my." Alfred responded. If he had accidentally ruined something….

(break)

Terry lifted up his empty back pack with a questioning look towards Dick Grayson. It was seriously something his mother would have done if he hadn't started doing his own laundry from the moment he moved into the apartment.

The unmasked Robin shrugged. "Alfred may have taken your things for cleaning." he answered. "He'll put it back later."

Terry shook his head. No wonder Wayne had insured the suit was machine washable. He'd have to learn how to predict that Butler quickly. "Reminds me of my mother…"

"So, what are we going to be looking for?" Dick asked.

"A file or something that can help me deal with this situation." Terry responded as he turned back to the car. "The suit is like a mobile version of the cave in many ways however the car could have something the suit doesn't. Information packets, for one. I know it's got supplies I haven't even guessed at."

Jumping onto the hood of the deactivated vehicle, Terry punched in the key sequence that would open some of the external side lock boxes. Jumping back down, he pulled at one of the hidden security boxes and released the side drawer as he began to search for his clues.

"Okay, so why does the car have those kinds of files?" Dick asked. "Isn't that a bit of security risk?"

Terry shrugged. "All I know is Wayne started shoving these things at me when I went on patrol and for long sessions where I needed to study something. It would probably have made more sense to put everything on a memory drive but he said the hard copies were more useful if I got stuck somewhere. Time travel tended to happen quite frequently in my time from what I understand."

Dick watched Terry sort through the different files as he pushed one security box back into the car after another. Finally, he reached one that seemed smaller than all the others and he removed a single folded piece of paper. Leaning back on the car, Terry opened it to read through the scratchy writing across it's yellowed surface. Slowly at first and then more furiously, Terry went back over the writing.

"They're instructions. On how to contact home…" Terry said, looking up at Dick Grayson with alarm. "I need to use the computer."

A/N: My beta Mystic 777 managed to find part of my plot without me saying anything and also fixed a few errors of mine. Thank you very much. Well, I hope you all enjoyed this update. It took awhile, several rewrites, and almost became something completely different. Thank goodness for flu viruses and strep throat…. Don't get those at the same time. Dehydration becomes a serious issue.


	6. Chapter 6

_Batman,_

_You've probably done something I am not going to approve of and you know I'll be waiting for a report the moment you make contact. Be prepared._

_With that said, are you able to make contact? If you're near the cave try to access the main terminal. The suit or the car should have what you need to make contact. Don't introduce compromised equipment into the cave computer systems. There are few things you should discover first. What time are you in? Second, what dimension are you in? Assume you're in either our past (__Don't try to change anything.)_ _Or in a parallel universe. There should be a cave with the necessary gear and assuming you're in contact with friendlies, get access to the computer. There is a code that should be backdated enough to get you access back to us. If it doesn't work then you'll have to wait for either Kent or the League. Don't share any details about yourself, your family, or Gotham._

_Batman, look after yourself. Remember what we've discussed. It's not the name or the suit that makes you. It's what you do with it._

_B._

(break)

Life is like a hurdle race, just because you get over one doesn't mean there aren't more in the way. Terry stood in front of the antique computer that for all intents was purely useless to him. The teenager ran a hand through his hair as he glared at the machine. While the current Bat-computer was entirely ahead of its fellows, it was not something he knew how to use, it'd probably be slow with results, and definitely way behind his time.

Terry paced in front of the computer looking for something he could use. "I'm looking at this wrong."

Dick Grayson leaned forward and quickly snatched the note from Terry. Quickly scanning the contents, the first Robin winced. "Hey, Terry, you can't just dial home and expect to get an answer."

"I know this is not going to be easy but I can't stay here. I want to get back home to my family, my friends, my job… But I don't know how." Terry said as his shoulders sagged forward. Catching himself against the mainframe of the computer, the Batman of Tomorrow felt defeat barking at his heels before he had even gotten started. The damned computer virus and the experimental technology for boom tubes had seriously messed up his life plans. He really wanted to blame the League or whoever was behind that virus for this mess he was in.

"Master Terry, there is probably not a single person in this house who doesn't understand that feeling, but you can't blindly throw yourself at the situation expecting to resolve it." Alfred said as he entered the room just a few feet behind Bruce Wayne. "We'll have to come up with a way to contact the proper location in due time. As it stands…"

"As it stands Mister McGinnis, you're a teenager, even if you are a very resourceful one." Bruce interrupted. "Our technology and resources may not support this venture for several more years. You have to accept that possibility while we try to resolve this problem. Is there any way to isolate the original malfunction in the car's systems?"

Terry blinked, his mind leaving behind the threshold of panic as Bruce 'Batmanned' his way into the problem and forced the teenager to stop and actually think. "I don't know if I mentioned a virus in the car's software or not. I connected to a lot of locations back home and we were testing some new tech for…. for some allies when something went wrong. A glitch or a virus of some sort jumped in the car's mainframe and attacked the programming that controlled navigation and autopilot. You'll probably run across the information in the next few years but…"

"You're hesitant to share the information we need to know because of restrictions on the future?" Bruce asked. "What we need to know is if you're even in the right time line as you seem to think there are other dimensions."

"We can't do that without the right technology." Terry said as a reminder.

"Not necessarily. It would be slow but perhaps we can compare what you know about the future to our current time. Newspapers, dates, things like that would go a long way to telling us what we need to know." Dick said. "Another thing we can do is compare when your Bruce and our Bruce were orphaned."

Both Bats flinched, though Bruce had to conclude there was some merit in comparing the fates of his parents.

"Bruce, how old were you?" Terry asked hesitantly knowing just what he was dredging up with the question.

"Ten." he answered, stuffing his heart under the guise of Batman to keep as much emotion out of his voice as possible.

Feeling his knees weaken, the young Batman sat heavily into the chair that sat in front of the computer. "He was eight… I'm not even on the right Earth."

"Then how are you genetically related to our Bruce Wayne? There doesn't seem to be the same kind of connection between your Bruce and ours." Dick questioned, remembering the earlier revelations he had been made privy to.

"I said it before. Time travel, other dimensions, things like that have been known to happen back home. I've been trained to expect it but…" Terry answered automatically as he stared up at the three men. "But my father is Warren McGinnis. He worked for the Wayne-Powers company for a long time."

"Terry, this might be hard to accept but there is probably a reason. We just need to find out what that reason is." Bruce said, kneeling down in front of the teenager and staring him in the eyes. He was alarmed at what he was learning. Terry McGinnis was biologically his child, from another dimension or otherwise, did that mean he was going to go through the same thing the boy had? Would he be forced to leave behind his Gotham to go to Terry's? Would he be again forced to lose a family? What did all of this mean and how was it going to affect the long term length of his life? "Terry, we're going to have to experiment. Test different things until we find a way to get you back to your family."

"If we can get me home…" Terry said glumly leaning away from Bruce as the butler closed in on them.

"That's quite enough, young sirs. Perhaps a night on the town will expose some new insight." Alfred said as he rolled a tray of folded uniforms in the light. "Master Bruce, Master Dick, I do believe Master Terry needs a distraction. I will of course remain here and try to work something out over this puzzle." The answer was there and Alfred wondered if this was something they too were going to have to deal with. There was enough of a base that the Butler could work on contacting the other Earth while they dealt with Gotham. "Master Terry, I repurposed one of the costumes to suit your needs at this time. It is a little different but I believe until we find a way to properly up keep your possessions it will do."

The dark emblem of the Batsuit Terry was used to seeing in a glass case, side by side, with the original Robin left the teenager stunned. The familiar R symbol stood out. "Why?"

"To give you a purpose, young man. If I have read you right you are the kind of individual that does better thinking on his feet." Alfred answered, quickly moving on to explain this other suit.

The Tomorrow Knight let out a shaky, uncertain breath. "No offense, Mister Pennyworth, but I think I can make do with a few things of my own."

Bruce glanced at the dark haired teenager as he moved away to give him a chance to stand up. As an afterthought he realized the costume alterations were completed suspiciously fast.

At a questioning look from Alfred, Bruce growled. The Butler, his former guardian, was wanting him to occupy the teenager in their custody. Terry had arrived from an unknown origin and Alfred protected the child even going so far as to obtain an identity for the child based on a few dna tests. Dick had taken a passive role during the investigation and Terry... he didn't seem to know what he was doing.

So be it.

"Terry, you're going to borrow some of Robin's gear. I'm sure Alfred will have something for us later." Bruce ordered, removing his uniform from the trolley and heading in the direction of the shadows.

(Break)

Children had a way of surprising their elders. There was too much evidence they couldn't make sense of or explain away. Alfred, despite his obvious support for the boy, wasn't about to forget that this could be a carefully contrived plot to undo the Batman.

It was possible however that the boy was being manipulated or even outright lied to. Their enemies were numerous and outside forces were at work. There was Superman's foes, the vigilantes of Star City, and the Speedster from Central City. Any of their enemies could have decided to make Gotham and the Batman a target. Rumors said there were other powerful forces at work as well. Nothing in his former line of work had taught Alfred how to manage things like this.

Setting his fingers to the keyboard Alfred began to type. Different search parameters were filled as well as a moment set aside to set the piece of paper aside for a few more copies should something unfortunate happen when he moved on to actually testing the letter.

(Break)

Tragedy. It marked every breath Bruce had taken since he was a small child. He questioned everything and rarely took others at face value. He had worked hard to become the Batman yet now he was inclined to trust this boy… The teenager carried his own type of fight and seemed to know what he was doing as he drove an elbow into a thug's gut. Different things occurred to Bruce as he ducked under a desperate move designed to take his head off with a tire iron. Kicking out with his foot, the Dark Knight sent his opponent reeling into a stack of trash cans on his left. Robin ran up the left side of that same building to avoid a pincer move from the remaining thugs when Terry rolled his recent foe off his shoulder and into the sides of the two thugs attempting to corner the sidekick.

The street lamp at the entry of the alley and the two street walkers who had been watching the fight slowly showed the caped Batman to the leader of the ragtag group. Pulling the man to his feet, the Batman dragged him away from his cohorts as Terry and Robin zip tied the others. Double checking the last of the restraints, Terry reached up to press a hand to his ear before he stopped and shook his head.

"Something wrong?" Robin asked, lifting up an eyebrow from behind his domino mask.

"It's nothing." Terry huffed, "just forgot myself for a moment." He wasn't in his own gear, though he wore a facsimile of it. There was no sharp red emblazoned bat on his chest, nor did he wear an R for Robin. His belt was the same as Bruce's and he lacked a cape. A domino mask from Robin's gear concealed his features….

Terry had thought over actually going out like this. Only the fact he needed to be moving had kept him from saying _anything_ about the lack of Kevlar or basic armor. His Bruce would probably have thrown him into a simulator for that. As it was, he contented himself with wearing his neo-gotham street clothes which had earned some rather questioning looks from the three members of the Wayne family.


	7. Chapter 7

Terry didn't think he was overlooking anything but he knew the multiverse was bigger than a single time stream and he knew what the boom tubes were capable of. The teenager had been in the past; hopefully in his own version of earth, for over forty-eight hours. What was going on that he didn't know? He wanted to believe them, trust them, even when they said he and Bruce Wayne were related. If that was true, then why wouldn't Bruce, his boss, have said something? Or was the old man keeping his secrets again? Trusting people to do things for you meant you had to expect them to trust you too. He'd seen first hand what the secrets, lies, and cover-ups could do to a family.

For as long as he had been in the past, he'd been expecting help from Wayne and the others. Perhaps, he realized they had no motivation to do so. They had the bulk of his gear and they were a lot more alert than his boss was when he took the suit. Deciding to trust them and then acting on that trust were two very different things.

You earned trust through blood, sweat, and broken bones with the Bats. You sacrificed everything you had and followed rules that only made sense in the moment because if you didn't then there was no way to survive until dawn. Terry knew all of this and he had seen first hand what Bruce's paranoia would bring him to. He saw how much of a difference Alfred made and he regretted the fact the old butler had already passed from the world before they could meet.

Terry ducked under a wild swing from one of his refocusing on the fight. The goons had been coming out of a jewelry store when the Batman, Robin, and he had dropped down on them. The Tomorrow Knight lacked experience with ziplines, though he easily adapted to the change after hopping across roofs all night.

Ducking under a right hook, Terry felt the wind of the man's punch pass over the hairs on his head. The crook didn't see his counter when the teenager swept a kick at his knees, aiming to buckle his opponent to the ground. A pair of batcuffs where in Terry's hands before the man regrouped and Terry snapped one cuff around the man's right wrist as he made for a choke grab on the teenager. The second part of Terry's counter interrupted the man's ally as Terry back kicked him into Robin's path.

Unable to twist around because of his hold on his prior opponent Terry, returned his attention to securing the criminal to the pipe jutting out from the wall. In his Gotham, Terry would have either delivered the crooks to GCPD or fled before the officers could arrest him for his numerous cases of assault. Once the man was secured, the teenager jumped back into the fray by leaping on top of one of the criminals aiming to take Batman out with a tire iron. The man didn't see the mass of Terry coming at him until he was lying on the ground, with a foot on his head as Terry slapped a pair of batcuffs on him as well. Wrestling the last one to the ground, Robin finished their current job up with a pair of zip ties as Batman knelt beside the women the crooks were attempting to mug.

Cringing, Terry crossed his arms and reconsidered his technique versus the present day Batman. Like he originally thought, their respective styles were different. Terry's was a rough version of the local Gotham street style that developed over several years of constant insane villains trying to take over the city. Bruce carried himself with a traditional, polished trained style of martial arts. Robin had trained in the more agile styles with a second pursuit in staff weapons. Terry largely preferred his Batarangs and fists to their brands of combat. Shaking his head, the teenager uncrossed his arms and joined Bruce and Dick.

His thoughts jumped back to the theories he was developing about his situation. The young Tomorrow Knight didn't know if his presence would affect anything or not, but the old man was old enough to be his grandfather and this Bruce Wayne was between thirty and thirty-five. The dark haired teenaged Batman glanced at the Boy Wonder and recalled a conversation about the age of Nightwing, when he'd passed from sidekick onto his own legacy. That meant he was on the verge of becoming Nightwing when Terry showed up. Would they splinter like they did in his timeline?

Bruce wasn't here to advise him and he had to determine the best course of events. Follow his orders and change nothing or retire into some kind of civilian life? Play at hero from the shadows? Terry took the name of Batman because he wanted to make a difference. He wouldn't sit back and watch people get hurt when he had the skill to make things better. The technology didn't exist to get him home so he'd have to rely on the League and Wayne back home to figure that out.

"Hey, when we're done, we need to talk." Terry said to Bruce once he evened up with the man. The alley was dirt, grime, and trash under foot as Terry approached. The crumbling brick walls reinforced the homesickness Terry felt in his stomach. Batman was pulling a jumpline from his belt as Terry stopped moving. The sound of sirens echoed in the distance, coming closer with each second.

Terry knew they were testing him to see how he worked as part of their team. The question was why? Why try and bring him in if they were going to help him get home? Unless… They weren't planning on it or they didn't believe him. Forcing the worry down, the younger Batman watched Bruce fire off his line and secure it to the next roof before he turned to address the two boys.

"Later. There are things I need to check up on. Robin, stay with him." Batman ordered. He didn't look at Terry, rather he looked past his head to meet Robin's stare. "We'll debrief when I return."

(break)

Bruce Wayne, the Batman, knelt beside the child that had helped take the wheel off his car. Detaching his cape from his shoulders, he draped it around the boy. His fingers ghosted over the edges of the cape as he tugged the dark edges together and sealed them to keep the boy warmer than the thin windbreaker he was wearing would have.

The boy was small for his age, his expression hard with the years any small child would spend on the streets. The dark circles ghosting his eyes gave Bruce an unwelcome feeling of inadequate care and the boy's fingers clenched tighter around the tire iron. Reaching forward, Bruce took the heavy metal from the child's fingers and set it to the side before reaching for the borrowed tracers that Terry handed out before leaving home. Green eyes blinked at him with awe and fear; something Bruce regretted at this moment but it didn't change the fact that something was happening. Almost as momentous as the fact that he had a teenager from the future living in the manor and a malnourished child stealing the wheels off his car…

"What's your name?" He asked, his voice somewhat softened so as not to terrify the child outright. The retreating footfalls echoed off the concrete walls of Gotham's crime alley. His head didn't turn away from the boy who had not been able to escape him. Bruce quickly memorized the boy's features for his later report. Dark hair, green eyes, he seemed to be falling into a bad crowd, likely to be used as a scapegoat or a look out. Bruce estimated the boy was a preteen, based on the fact his voice broke when he answered.

"Jason." the boy answered, shivering from the cold on the broken asphalt. Gotham was cold at night this time of the year. His clothes wouldn't hold off the chill and he needed the few dollars he could get from this tire to feed himself. Being caught by the Batman wasn't in his plan and he knew it meant trouble. He gave the Batman a mutinous glare. "What's it to ya?"

How to answer when he didn't quite know what he was dealing with? As Bruce Wayne he could have softened further for the child's comfort, but the Batman put criminals in jail or Arkham. Approaching footsteps disrupted his thoughts as Robin approached them from behind. The boy in front of Batman went wide eyed as he got a full glimpse of Robin.

"Whoa." Jason suddenly said, the awe of Robin the original boy wonder, and then it really settled in on him. At that second, the Batman's hand came down on the twelve year old's bony shoulder. The third 'hero' of Gotham won a raised eyebrow from Jason as he knelt against the wall.

"Robin, make the call." Batman stated. Terry watched him pull a radio out of the car they were beside and summon the police.

Jason gave them all assessing looks. The dark haired, plain clothes teenager looked out of place beside the two vigilantes and his body language set him apart. He stood more like some of the older gangsters Jason had seen over the years. The way he moved said he was uncomfortable to be around others. He had probably been a lot like himself a few years ago and then the Bat got him. Shaking off his concerns about the plain clothes guy, Jason returned to watching Robin.

The original Boy Wonder moved like the Batman but he was lighter on his feet. There might have been a trace of frustration in his steps, but he hid it well. Jason turned to get another glance at Batman and found the man watching him. Giving Batman a sheepish grin, Jason rubbed at the back of his head and set his eyes to looking at the ground. Adults who watched you were dangerous. Batman was watching the same way the gangs watched him.

It was the recruit look and he didn't know how he felt about that. Jason's shoulders shook under the weight of the cape Batman had put on him and settled down to wait for the cops. He was a constant runaway from the group homes and his mother hadn't left a good impression on the local beat guys either. Jason didn't expect any good favors now that the Batman had caught him.

(break)

"He lacks discipline and his training is nowhere near what I'd prefer an ally to have. Someone could have ended up killed. No matter what kind of suit he's wearing you cannot make up for basic human reflexes." Bruce stated, examining the reports Dick and he had written up on Terry. "Despite that, he does have a certain reluctance to permanently injure another individual. He needs more training."

"Then why take him out? Why bother to trust him if you were going to tear his skill set apart?" Dick answered as he sat across from the older man. "I mean it is kind of strange how a letter just appears written on paper of all things. Given his technology you'd think there'd have been some kind of emergency file or something instead of that."

Bruce turned his head left to look at the sealed entrance of the cave. "Down there is a piece of technology that outdoes anything we have now. Upstairs we have a teenager who calls himself Batman with half the training. He seems to be a good person, conflicted, with a ready made story guaranteed to get close to us. He surrendered to us without a fight. It's suspicious even in the best light. Especially with the discovery of Jason."

"That kid we took to Jim? What about him? He helped take the wheels off the car." Dick stated. "Why don't we just bring him in with us already? You're kind of attached to the little bugger already."

Bruce glared at Dick. "I'm not attached, Dick."

"Sure you aren't. You're attached to these people and something about Terry and Jason makes you want to help them personally." Dick responded with a smirk, before returning to a more sober note. "However, we suspect that someone could be using them to get to us."

"Jim's looking for their families and if nothing turns up we'll do something about it. Jason will be placed in a group home for tonight where a probation officer can keep an eye on him. He's smart, just like Terry, however it's not a coincidence that someone found a weakness in our defenses. That person or persons is using these kids to get to us." Bruce said. "Now we need to find out what their motive is."

"That's why you've taken a personal interest in Jason's case and sent your best lawyers to ensure he had a good defense." Dick Grayson argued. "The same way you fought to keep me in your custody after Malone. What do you plan to do with Terry?"

Bruce swallowed back a breath. "He believes he's from the future. That could be anything from a plot of the Jokers to Madhatter. His heart and mind are in the right place. Regardless, Alfred is working on finding a solution that can be comfortable for all of us. If what Terry is saying is true though, we don't have the technology to help him."

(break)

The mask dangled from Terry's fingers as he listened to Wayne discuss him and Jason. The bugs he'd planted under the old man's desk chair had caught every bit of the conversation. He didn't know who the kid was, but he resembled Tim Drake in worrying degrees. That Second Robin of his world hadn't come along until Nightwing had been out and about for awhile.

The finned gloves of his original costume tickled his fingers as it came online with the rest of his suit. The belt was in place, his boots were on. He'd already removed the tracers the butler had sewed into the lining and now it was just a basic case of getting down to the car and vanishing into the night like the old man had taught him.

Terry wanted to believe Bruce, Dick, and Alfred would overlook his decision to leave. He was aware they'd come looking for him though. His car would make the flight quick enough at Mach 2, a speed beyond the current technology of the present day Battech.

He knew the founding members of the Justice League. Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl. There might be variations to this timeline versus his own. He was hedging his bets on the original three. The news had reported on two speedsters and either one of them could be Wally West. While he knew he could probably trust The Flash he wasn't sure of his identity. Terry planned to go to Superman, first. Wonder Woman after him and whoever else he would have to look for. The Martian Manhunter was about, however he needed to consider the idea before using it.

Between his Car and his Suit, he was a walking Batcave. The little training he'd had with the Older Wayne in his world supplemented his existing skills and he knew he'd be able to handle anything moderately dangerous. The virus in the flying car was still a concern, but perhaps he could find a way to isolate it with his personal computer. His bookbag, phone, and even his belt buckle were all upgraded with smaller bits of tech he'd scraped together as part of his lessons.

"No matter what dimension you're in Bruce, you never seem to change." Terry said softly. Extending his arms, Terry pulled his cowl over his face and breathed while the entire suit came online. His muscles quivered with anticipation when he stood, flicked the stealth mode on, and exited the room. He moved towards the entrance of the still open cave, past Dick and Bruce as the two of them continued to discuss future plans and into the Batman's lair. He ignored the twinge of guilt he felt at fleeing when he'd agreed to work with them.

The dark mass of his car sat like a silent golem in the Batcave, out of place and time with the classic versions of it's predecessors. The large coin that Terry was used to practicing around was strangely absent. The holo-tech and robots weren't even in place. Even the computer was completely different, half the size of the monstrosity back home. The Butler Alfred Pennyworth leaned over the letter written by his Bruce, nicking off pieces of paper with a small pair of scissors and testing it for resins. He could tell from various colored lights they had already looked for any hidden messages. There were small scrapes on the car as well and he wouldn't be surprised if there hadn't been tests on anything else he owned. The car was likely as bugged as his room had been. He'd trigger a pulse for that once he was in the air, he didn't want to hurt Bruce's mission anymore then he'd already done so.

Yet, he had found himself comparing Alfred to his father. Warren McGinnis had raised his son to the best of his ability. Despite Terry's temper, he'd at least say farewell to the older man.

"Mister Pennyworth, will you tell them I've stepped out? There are things I need to do and I won't get anything done if I stay here. Your home just doesn't have the technology I need." Terry said as he jumped on top of the Car was intending to pilot out. "Mister Wayne and Mister Grayson have something they need to discuss anyway."

Alfred jumped, turned, and listened to a bodiless voice that echoed his youngest charge. "Where are you hiding at, young man?" he asked, searching for any hiding spots their unexpected guest might have taken to.

Terry wanted to laugh. He felt pathetic, powerless. The same useless kid that was staring his parents in the eyes when he was escorted away by the cops. Desperate, he pushed forward on his reasons. Mister Pennyworth cared about the people he worked for and provided support to. "Despite what kind of theories you three imagine, I'm from another time and another dimension. Even so, staying here isn't the best for Gotham, your family, or me."

Despite the desperate tone in the young man's voice, Alfred heard the hurt he was hiding underneath the face of duty. Terry wanted to belong to this family, he could tell from the way he was acting. Bruce had once done the same thing. Desperate, in search of answers, and angry. Those emotions boiled down to an impulse he wasn't certain he approved of.

"You're just going to go?" he asked, trying to figure out where the teenager had positioned himself. He flicked on an alarm at the computer, aware the boy was likely watching the motion.

"If I can't find what I'm looking for I'll come back. Otherwise, it's best if I go for now." Terry activated the pressure release on the hood of the car, waited for it to slide back, and watched the expression change on the Butler's face during that time. "Besides, you heard my orders. If I can't access the main computer there's no point in sticking around here."

Alfred felt his breath hitch. Someone had likely taken control of his life for quite a long time. It was an all too common agenda in Gotham. "Master Terry, surely there is another option."

Terry shook his head. "I'm going to see an alien or two about what they might have access to. I know a lot of Wayne's 's a risk that they won't be the same as they are in my world but it is my best option. Besides, .if I leave now, I might not change how history plays out? Maybe things won't change. I don't know."

"Then why are you leaving?" Dick asked, followed by Bruce into the Cave as they'd known something was up the moment the alarms let them know. Trying to persuade Terry into changing his mind, the Robin kept up with the mental pressure. Keeping Terry in the cave was for his own protection.

"I don't want to affect your choices for your own future when I don't know where it'll go. Gotham has a Batman, it doesn't need two." Terry said, slipping into the car. "I'm going. I know I can talk in circles for reasons I should stay, however…. I don't need to be in Gotham to have access to advanced technology."

"If this technology doesn't exist, what do you intend to do?" Bruce asked, fascinated by the interior parts of the car they could see once Terry revealed himself in full costume. The long ears of his cowl only highlighted by the monitors coming online. The red flared bat on his chest became exaggerated as Terry locked his hands around the two controls that aided in the flight of the car.

"I'll disappear. The car and the suit are outfitted with technology you haven't even heard of. I will use the same technology mistakes that brought me here to go somewhere else until I find my family, my world." he admitted. "I didn't get this far without taking risks."

Bruce reached into his pocket and fingered the electromagnetic control he'd placed on the underside of the teenager's vehicle. He had the option of shutting Terry down, now. He could keep him from disappearing and becoming a problem or he could watch what he was planning. Making up his mind to buy time, Bruce started talking. "Return to us before you go… hopping into other worlds. We might not know what's going on in your head, Terry, but we can narrow down another couple of possibilities if we work together."

"That's the clincher, Wayne. You're used to being in charge. I'm used to working alone, doing things my way. I'm not your partner. That's Robin." Terry answered.

Dick's head tilted back until he was staring straight at the white lenses of Terry's cowl. "Then what were you?"

Terry smirked. "The personal assistant." he answered. "The apprentice. Take your pick. I'm not going to cause problems for either of you…" The cowled Batman tilted his head as he noted Bruce's movement. "What… do you think you're doing?" he asked, as the older man pressed his finger down on the device and tripped the electromagnetic pulse at the bottom of the car. The entire vehicle flickered on and off for several seconds before it suddenly went dark.

Just as quickly, the entire vehicle resurged to life and slammed it's roof shut before Terry could say anything else. The defense systems came online and the stealth mode activated as Terry slammed the gears into reverse and roared his way out of the cave. He got as far as the edge of Wayne's property before the car shut down, cover it with several pieces of broken branches, and squatted down beside it as the Batmobile came roaring out after him several minutes later. The soft drone of the Batplane followed shortly after.

Terry narrowed his eyes, the cowl taking in the speedy flight of the Batmobile before he turned back to the house. They might have thought he was traveling into Gotham. With his car out, he needed to come up with some other plans…. He couldn't stay still. The Batman of Tomorrow knew they would discover where he'd stashed the car in the first place, but the emp had knocked out his systems until they could be rebooted. That took time and electricity. He had neither, so he would have to do something less savory.

Terry McGinnis hated his past. He'd been a petty crook, someone the modern day Batman and Robin would have dealt with. Breaking and entering, mugging people, graffi, and even getting into fights with other Gangs. He'd once stolen a car with Charlie when the older boy wanted them to scare the Ts and Jokerz. Terry glanced at one of the sealed cases he kept in the car. Nightwing's old gear, upgraded until it almost matched the specs of Terry's current Batsuit. There was no way he could use that though. They'd be suspicious of a new Vigilante.

Crouching low, the Batman of the future began to make his way back to Gotham Manor. Wayne knew how to deal with criminals and Terry was planning on going headlong against his mentor's double. The trickle of dread in his stomach gave the Tomorrow Knight a rush he hadn't felt since he'd taken on the Joker-ized Tim Drake.

(break)

"Jason Todd, you're being released into the custody Alfred Pennyworth tomorrow morning at ten am. Be ready to go by then." A custodian said from the young man's doorway. The shared room housed eight boys aging from ten to twelve. The dark haired boy had sat hunched over a bag given to him at GCPD by a red haired woman he later learned was Gordon's daughter. Without bothering to look up, he fingered the cloth jacket inside. A suit. He knew Alfred Pennyworth was a very important name, but what did that have to do with this kind of get up?

"Yeah…" he stated, just in case anyone was listening.

A/N: My beta said it best when they read the chapter and made a note a particular paragraph. This is readily within the characterization setup for Terry early in this fic. -as awkward as that might sound, it does make the distinction-whether they catch it now or not-that Terry doesn't consider himself part of their family.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Happy Batman Day. Thank you to Mystic 777 for editing this chapter. Without Mystic, this chapter would be a huge mess. So, read their fics and say thanks, yes? I'm a passive writer by nature, it's through their efforts that most of my fics actually are so much better.

Chapter 8

"You do realize that you just destroyed any trust we managed to build with Terry by taking out his car? Dick said as Bruce strolled towards the computer terminal. Watching his mentor, Dick felt his jaw drop as Bruce turned on the autopilot to both car and jet. As the vehicles powered on and eventually left, the younger male began to walk towards where they kept their gear. "What's the plan?"

Dawn had passed a little more than an hour ago and they'd just begun to get ready to settle in for the night. He'd been looking forward to one of Alfred's breakfasts, a shower, and bed all night. He knew there was going to be dark circles under his mask by the time he did get to bed.

"He won't go far." Bruce said, "Alfred had time to study his possessions during the last forty-eight hours. The systems in his suit require external recharging and the car was damaged from its earlier trip. The electromagnetic shock I gave it will incapacitate his ability to move freely around the city. Terry will return to the manor."

"Bruce…" He started, coming to a halt when Bruce selected a new file on the computer. He watched as a DNA pattern spiraled around on the screen.

"According to this, Terry is my son. I've spent hours trying to determine how this is possible to no avail. I avoided dating when I first started my training. I did not pursue relationships until I returned to Gotham. I checked into my father's history and I have no siblings. After we exhausted every lead, we had no choice but to accept the story Terry told us." Bruce stated. "Based on his behavior I can only assume that he was raised by another man."

"Then why did you make it sound like you didn't trust him?" Dick demanded, frustrated with Bruce's runaround as he slipped his bow staff into its place.

Bruce turned his head to look at his ward and partner. "Terry is just as uncertain of us as we are of him. If he is from the future, it is our job to keep his influence here minimal. If has been manipulated by a criminal then we have to protect him. I am not certain of what the truth is about him, but I do know what this tells me. Terry protects his information one way or another. He's willing to talk to a certain point, however if he is pressured he will clam up. I've put pressure on him just so I could get this paltry sum of information. If he is from the future he will understand that."

"The strange part of all this Bruce, is what if he was meant to be here? Sure, his tech could affect the development of technology, but so could Freeze or Ivy. There's people like Flash and Superman who have abilities and access to things no one else does. World development has already been affected." Dick stated, setting his palms on computer's surface and leaning forward to get a better look at the cameras. "I just don't see how anything he's possibly done to this point wouldn't have changed the future. We already know he exists and unless we lose our memories we'll know he's coming."

"Master Bruce?" Alfred spoke up. "It's time I retrieve the boy from the shelter. Would there be anything you want me to look for on the way out? A young man parading around in a facsimile of your uniform, perhaps?"

"We've got it handled, Alfred. Thank you. We'll be up to meet the boy later in the day." Bruce responded, turning on the security monitors around the Manor. A slight blur blipped across one on the outer edges of the house gates and Bruce smiled. "Got him."

(Break)

Leaving the cave, Alfred tucked his watch back into his jacket pocket and scooped up the paperwork that would give Bruce Wayne temporary custody of Jason Todd, they needed to know what he knew. He just hoped Bruce and the other two boys would figure things out before they got back. Or there would be a lot to explain to a young man who had already dealt with enough in his short life. He hoped that whatever fate Jason Todd was meant for would be kinder to the child.

(Break)

Following the old gravel road that was part of the Wayne property, Terry reached the edge of the security wall. Fingering the stone wall and where the wires ran through the young Batman smirked at the pulse of electricity running through the reinforced fence. Ejecting a batarang from his glove, Terry tossed it towards one of the cameras spanning the property. The second it made contact his body vanished into stealth mode. He wouldn't be staying hidden long, however, if Wayne was watching he needed as much of a head start as possible.

_'If I wanted to break in, __where should I go through?' _Terry thought.While he was sure Wayne's security was far greater than any other building in the city, even a petty thug or punk kid from his time could dismantle a security system this outdated. He brought up the manor blueprints in his heads up display and studied them as he stalked through the gardens. The grounds had changed several times over the years and Terry found himself staring down a maze of hedges, flower beds, and statues. If Bruce wanted to find him quickly, he'd resort to using the water fountains and sprinklers Terry knew served double purposes. The incline of the ground was slight so the casual observer and guests would never know it was there.

Taking the line of sight to his advantage, Terry jumped off the wall, into the hedge maze and began moving swiftly for the windows of the west side of the house. The cave was directly east of him, the various points of entry hidden throughout the house giving Terry a slight thrill of anticipation. He knew he didn't know all the entries or exits, but he did know how to break into places and move around without getting caught. His mind provided a plan even as he ran along the grass, ducking under or behind hedges as he moved. The invisibility of the suit was turned off to preserve its limited power. If this run failed he'd surrender temporarily and work on getting Robin into the Nightwing suit. Failing either of those two agendas, Terry decided he'd wing it. Regardless, he needed access to the technology that could get him home. If Wayne didn't have it, Star Labs or one of the aliens might.

Charlie Bigelow had taught him how to pick pockets, override locks, and in general make a nuisance of himself so that store owners chased him down while the others made off with the bigger target stuff. Getting up underneath one of the windows, Terry flashed the suits claws into existence and made quick work of getting under Bruce's current security settings.

'_Child's play.'_ He thought. '_Give them something else to think about and let them second guess where I am. I should hit the safe first. Cash would help since I doubt my creds would work. As long as I don't touch any family items and stick to the things I can reasonably pawn, it'll be good. Otherwise I might as well try and find a fence. Not that guy Penguin, though.' _The glass cut away under the needle sharp points of the suits glove, before he reached a hand through and flicked the catch open. He wasn't going to bother disarming this window's security system. Once he had the window opened wide, he scaled the wall and did the same to one of the wider windows above it. He then sidled to the next window on the same wall, smashed an elbow into the glass, and then dropped straight to the ground where he opened one of the glass doors.

Darting around the side of the house, Terry smirked as he came across one of the basement storage windows and shook off the feeling of just how easy it'd be to slip in. Using the stone columns, Terry ascended to the third floor of the house and then the roof before slipping inside. The suit's volume reception up higher as Terry paced along the wall inside Bruce's old bedroom towards the hallway. While the room wasn't in use any longer, he could still see signs of the Old Man's childhood present. The second room was closer to Bruce's parents, and the room he used now much closer to the Cave then this one. The furniture was all part of the family inheritance, though he didn't think anyone would be using the crib in the near future.

Terry paused as he listened to the hallway for any noise that indicate he'd been found yet. He knew that Bruce would figure he'd come back here for either a vehicle or to get something to help him in his escape. Either way, he'd be right on both counts. The younger Batman splayed his fingers on the wall and listened to the vibrations of his surrounding environment.

(Break)

Pulling the cowl over his head, Bruce nodded to Dick and left the study entry to the Cave to patrol the inside of the house. Robin would patrol the outside and back track Terry's original course to the car he'd no doubt hidden away. While Terry claimed he had no resources, he also admitted he had a criminal history. Bruce was intimately familiar with Gotham's criminals. Younger thieves he usually notified Jim about. This time, he was on his own dealing with a vigilante who claimed his title.

"He's on the west side of the house B. He came in through the third floor, the old nursery. Looks like there's some property damage. I think Terry's using that suit of his to try and get past us." Robin said over their shared radio. "I'm going to silence my radio."

Bruce didn't reply, he moved swiftly through the hidden hallways towards the direction Robin had given him. They had worked long enough together not to be able to tell where the other was. Terry had underestimated them both.

(Break)

Pulling his hand away from his temple, Terry shook his head. So, Robin Senior was going to try and cut off his escape route. Which left Bruce somewhere in the house, likely headed right for his position. Letting out a strained grunt as he lowered the dust coated stairs, Terry lifted himself physically into the attic and pulled the stairs up after himself. The dust was thick up there, but the mask automatically filtered it from his vision and lungs.

Walking softly across the floor, Terry made his way in the dark towards the old family gallery. He wanted to keep the dynamic duo guessing as long as possible while he worked his way to the safe and then the garage. The infrared sensors finally picked up on body heat just below him, the size of the male frame telling him Robin had caught up. Freezing, Terry watched as the older vigilante turned about until his head tilted sideways to the left. Another heat signature entered the same hallway. Batman…. Bruce Wayne, the two of them held perfectly still as if listening for something. Terry's fingers twitched slightly as the two of them moved towards the stairs he had used to get into the attic.

Turning the belt dial on his suit to stealth mode, Terry side stepped around an old clock, foot over foot until he was just behind it as Batman and Robin ascended into the old attic. The Tomorrow Knight narrowed his cowl covered eyes in the direction of their flashlights. The suit's visual functions switched to normal lighting as soon as one of the beams passed over his field of vision. Sinking into a low crouch, Terry set himself on the balls of his feet as Bruce matched his earlier motions and went slowly. Robin was just as fast as he was and Terry knew his weaknesses. He'd have to compensate….

He immediately apologized to his mother for his impulsive side because the moment Robin turned his back, Terry tipped the clock towards the left of the sidekick and jumped towards Bruce at the same time. He launched out with a tackle, rolled as Batman threw him off, and came up in full visible spectrum with a batarang in his hand. The red edged weapon crackled with electricity as he slid his right foot behind him, shifting his weight.

(break)

Jason stood stiffly under the assessing gaze of this man who seemed to work for his temporary guardian. Alfred, he had said to call him, was the kind of man that left kids like him begging for scraps. Unless you were one of the few lucky ones. Jason suddenly found himself flushed in with those very children he used to envy.

His fingers wrapped tightly around the paper bag that held the remains of his ragged jeans, washed in the facility laundry and the old ragged t-shirt he had been wearing the day before. An assuming person would have made the transition harder from one place to the next or expected things they shouldn't. Jason stared up at the man and gave him his best bored look.

"Very well, Master Jason. Please, get in the car. A number of appointments have been scheduled today at Master Wayne's expense. We're to see the family physician, the dentist, an optometrist, the barber and the tailor." Alfred stated, opening the back door on the very expensive car gesturing for the boy to get in. "Once we have your proper measurements we will visit the school to test your placement and see about having you enrolled. Perhaps, before we begin, we should purchase ice cream."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This and possibly future chapters will remain unbeta'd until such a time as Mystic either has the time or another Beta is found. Until then, readers, please let me know if you see any mistakes. I know it's been a long time and I apologize. Life got very busy and I had a lot of writers block which I hope for all of our sake is done for. :) Thank you and have a happy new year.

Tinkering with the bat Tech

Chapter 9

Terry's skin twitched as Robin rounded on him after dodging the clock and gave the younger teenager a look that stated quite clearly how he felt. Glancing to his left, he found Bruce shifting his own weight into something matching a boxer's stance. The look on the older teenager's face was a mix between betrayal and surprise. He had done to them what they had done to him. Once upon a time, he had told the Joker he was nothing like the original Batman and he didn't play fair. Terry would've shrugged, however Bruce began to move in a sideways circle around him. The attic was cluttered so fighting room was limited. However, it was a high ceiling and Terry's suit gave him the edge there. Close quarter combat would only hold them back so long.

"So I guess we're past the talking stage?" he said, his tone of voice light even though he knew the question was rhetorical. Robin was the one who answered.

"Why are you so desperate to get out there on your own, Terry? We can help each other."

Batman, both of them, moved within seconds of each other. Terry knew he could banter as much as he could fight, the Dynamic Duo usually employed both elements at the same time to shift the balance in their favor.

Terry considered the merits of getting into this fight. None of them would really win, the odds were negligible on both sides as Robin slipped a pair of bolos into his hand and began spinning the weighted ends around to build momentum.

The original Batman shifted a few centimeters from his original position, his cape moving to drape him from shoulder to ankle. "Enough." He growled. "We're falling into pointless conflict, testing our limits against one another when we could actually work something out."

Crossing his arms, Terry gave them both a glare. "My presence here is affecting things." He said, hoping the old argument would possibly work.

"People affect things everyday, changing the future even as we all just keep going on." Robin pointed out, dropping his arm so the bolos hung from his fingers. "We eliminated the car, we know the suit requires external power to keep fully functioning, and you have no resources."

"You say that like I've never been out of this suit before." Terry muttered. "I just know there are other people I can ask for help. That's all."

Pulling back the cowl of his uniform Bruce moved towards Terry before he set two very strong hands on the teenager's bony shoulders. "We've exhausted every resource we have trying to disprove your story, Terry. We need your help to prepare for things that are coming. We'll do what we can to get you home, however we need you to give us something in return. Superman and anyone else you're thinking of asking are going to react much the same as we did."

"_Beyond that, Terry, there is something you know about Dick. Like you are expecting something else from him. I want to know what that is." _He thought. "_I need to know if you are a threat, no matter our blood connection."_

"The information they would demand in return for their help is no different than what we ask for. Do you really think we can't help you? If we actually work on the problem together, we might be able to get you home." Bruce continued, looking into the cowled eyes of the younger hero. "We've discussed trust, we have tested truth, and we have confronted each other not just once but more than five times in the last few days. We are tired, Terry. I know everything you've told Alfred, as you have likely suspected. You have been informed of a blood connection to myself that needs to be addressed. It's time to put away our weapons and negotiate a better deal."

"... and then what?" Terry growled. "What does some mysterious blood connection only you have run have to do with me?"

Bruce went silent, it was Dick that filled in the space hanging between them. "Do you have the means to run that kind of test yourself?"

"My suit does." Terry answered in a voice that was somewhere between Batman Growl and Annoyed Teenager. The other two vigilantes glanced at one another before Bruce nodded.

"Then, by all means, test it yourself." he prompted. "What do you need?"

(Break)

Alfred Pennyworth found Jason Todd to be the type of individual that did what he wanted without little thought to the outcome. It didn't make him any less intelligent than another child, rather, he seemed to be the kind of boy who thought best while doing something. He learned from example, simply by mimicking the behavior of another child that sat across from them in the Pediatrician's office. His feet thumped the base of his chair as the boy's eyes flicked over everything except for the television. The cartoons provided for the children held their attention while parents leaned close to each other to whisper among themselves. While Alfred could have used the name of Bruce Wayne to get them through the office faster, the Butler wanted to see how young Jason reacted to the pressure of other individuals first.

The bored look on the child's face left Alfred with the impression that he simply didn't care. Especially as he started to slouch in his chair. Tapping the boy's arm, Alfred indicated that he should perhaps take a moment to sit up straighter. Receiving a glare from the boy and the subsequent obedience shortly after, Alfred gave him a pleased smile.

Fixing the boy's long interred bad habits would give both of them a headache, however, Alfred felt that after Master Dick, Master Jason might just be easier to handle.

(Break)

Once Bruce Wayne had taken control of his company back from Powers, he had turned his attention back to the young Terry who had vanished during the testing of the boom tube technology and the old man had been looking for his young apprentice and partner ever since. The invested parties of the agenda had known that young Terry McGinnis often acted as Bruce's go between in the company. The young man had been his Personal Assistant for only a few months, yet he had achieved a higher response quota from Human Resources, Research and Development, and other assorted areas of the re-newed Wayne Company. The name of Powers had been struck from the building within days of Bruce reclaiming his position as CEO.

Now, it seemed as if his reason for doing all of this had just up and disappeared. Bruce recounted all the people he had contacted and spoken too. He knew, not keeping Terry on a live feed during the test would be a mistake, and allowed the boy to convince him he could test simple upgrades on his own. The Justice League had contacted his company immediately following the disappearance of the 'test' vehicle. Terry's absence was clearly felt. Only the quick actions of the AI Zeta kept people from connecting the new Batman with the missing McGinnis.

Police Commissioner Barbara promised to visit the McGinnis household to explain what they could to the young man's the task Terry had volunteered for. The fact that he'd taken it upon himself to do something without really talking to her about it had upset the young mother. Bruce himself had spent the last few weeks cursing himself for his lack of observation.

He had trusted Terry. He had trusted the technology. He had trusted the Justice League.

Then Amanda Waller had called and things had taken an even darker twist for him. At first, Bruce had only wanted to regain control of the company so Terry would have the necessary resources to continue the Mission. Now, it became something even more imperative. He had a son, created by the same group of people that had destroyed countless lives.

Finally, she had said, they'd done something _right_. So, where was the boy they'd made to take over his legacy?

For once, Bruce felt compelled to explain.

The risk had been small, if only they'd been aware of the virus that had rampaged the GCPD and other city programs all over Gotham. The hacker had been caught by the newly instated Oracle funded privately by Wayne himself. They still had to track down what had gone wrong with the League technology however he knew that wherever Terry was, they would eventually recover the boy.

Focusing on the piece of software in front of him, Bruce began to run the scans for the traces of radiation that was detected when they first noticed the Car was missing. Tachyon radiation wasn't the same as other types, it left a kind of rip in the place it originated from. It's very trace elements were as unique as a person's fingerprints. However, it wasn't easy to track because it usually existed in small amounts. The trace where Terry's presence in their universe had last been known was clean. That in and of itself was unusual and the only thing Bruce could figure out was that the Boom Tube Technology that he'd used had altered the radiation just enough to send him somewhen else.

While he assumed McGinnis was indeed in the past, he could only assume that Terry was not present in their past. He had no recollection of meeting the bull headed youth aside from his own forays into different time streams. He started with the known connections such as the Justice Lords' dimension and the one ruled by the Crime Syndicate. There was the alter worlds where their own League had never existed and a few others led by the minor influences of Green Arrow and the Flash.

Still others gave Bruce a sheer headache just to think about.

He skipped over the Flashpoint Variants as well, hoping he wouldn't have to go back to them. The particular signature he used for the technology he created and Terry used wasn't unique. There was three dozen Earths he found in the first sweep that the young Batman could have been taken too. Each shared the same signature as his own world with the only variant being Bruce himself.

He found the world where he was only a decade or two younger than now, the technology was not as advanced as what he used, and Robin was a girl named Carrie Kelley. He flinched when he heard the other Bruce do something he'd never consider and labeled it under a warning for future investigation. In all honesty, he was surprised what a world without Cadmus's interventions had developed.

The next world came from one of the Flashpoints. His father was alive. His mother was alive. Yet, they were something from a nightmare and he again labeled it for future investigation when he heard the Joker's laugh in his mother's voice and a killer in his father's.

One of the various few Earth's he was _almost_ alright with was the one where he discovered the boy Damian and his attempts to be something more than a trained weapon at his mother's beck and call.

Helena was a fiery wake up call and he had to wonder…. Shaking it off, he marked both those worlds as potential safe spots for Terry if he had ended up there.

Barbara stood just behind him, Kal-el a step beyond her. The young Oracle named Maxine Gibson cradled a hand held computer in her hands as she looked over the data Bruce had sent her. "Terry McGinnis needs to be found." Bruce stated. "These are just a few places we've uncovered, but the multiverse is expansive. It is always changing and Terry could be anywhere. He could be hurt or fell into the hands of enemies. He might be with allies or in a place so backwards he will be trapped. We cannot know where he may have ended up. Barbara, Maxine, I trust that the two of you can use your skills to put together a program that will continue searching even when we no longer can. It's important that we bring him home."


	10. Chapter 10

Tinkering with the Battech

Chapter 10

"Then, by all means, test it yourself." he prompted. "What do you need?"

Activating the right hand glove to do the skin samples for DNA, Terry reached under the collar of his mask and pressed the material of his glove to his skin. A few seconds later, he pulled the glove back and gestured for Bruce to stand still.

"It doesn't hurt," He claimed, a bit rhetorical given the fact the older man took daily beatings from thugs like Bane and the hired goons of the Penguin. Still, he pressed the same gloved fingers to Bruce's neck and stepped back as the suit analyzed the two skin samples for comparison data. While he waited, watching the sequences rotate on each other, he listened to Bruce and Dick just breathe. If the original Batman was right, then Terry would have to face a few hard questions he wasn't sure he wanted to know. His father's death was still too fresh even if he had brought the killers to justice.

In less time than it would have taken anyone else, Terry had his answer. Suddenly, it was as if his entire body couldn't catch air though the suit regulated that too if it detected an emergency. Finding his legs weak, the teenaged Batman slowly backed up until his spine was resting against one of the support beams from the house. The column of marble didn't offer much, but it kept him upright as the Bat and his sidekick noticed the suddenly drained physical form of their house guest.

"Terry?" Bruce asked, keeping back as the teenager's thoughts spun wildly out of control.

For a split second, the Knight of Tomorrow wished he was thirteen again and able to slam his fist into the closest face of another dreg. "There has to be some mistake." He whispered. "There must be some mistake. My dad… he's dead. We buried him."

Convenient how the world could turn upside down and against you, even when it's not your own. Terry McGinnis had buried his father, moved back in with his mother and little brother, took the mantle and legacy of Batman as his own.

'Now, he breathed, this is something I wish I had never learned.'

The expression on Dick Grayson's face was barely on the side of sympathetic. As always, Bruce wore that inexpressive front when he was holding the cards close to his chest. Terry thought he was one of the very few who had ever been privileged enough to see past that facade to the real man beneath the mask, One of the only question he had now was, did his Bruce Wayne know?

(break)

The older teenager, nearly a man now, found how unshakable the world could be for a man like Bruce and how he could single handedly turn another's world on it's head. Regardless of how he would normally do things, he was beginning to think that Terry was able to just roll with Bruce's mood swings and come out stronger for it. Yet, this wasn't a mood swing. It was reality. Trust, ability, and loyalty were being tested against truth and duty. What did Terry see as his mission in Gotham?

He admitted that he was different in the way he did things, Dick considered. Slowly, Terry slid down until he was sitting on the floor with his head propped on an arm draped over his left knee. The bat cowl was faced downward and Bruce slipped down to sit in front of Terry as if waiting for something. Dick found himself wanting to edge between them, or away even.

When Terry's shoulders started to shake, he noticed Bruce tense and shift uncomfortably away a bit as if he didn't know what to do with the situation now. Though, he would often come up with a different plan in the spur of the moment. Letting a silent breath between his lips, Robin moved until he was sitting to the right side of both Bats, resting his hands on his knees as they waited for Terry to stop.

He didn't doubt there were tears under that dark, dark cowl.

(break)

Bruce didn't know what to do. It was hard to fake this kind of grief and he felt in his gut that Terry was struggling with two truths. One, he probably didn't even want to accept but had forced to do so. The other, he was a strong boy, determined and willing to challenge even the most unwinnable situations. This though, the shaking and the grief that rolled off of him gave Bruce a tight feeling in his gut. Would the younger Batman be alright after all?

Bruce had his own feelings to deal with, but with no other apparent truths to be found he had forced himself to accept the reality that Terry was his kin. He wouldn't put the word son on it. Not yet. He'd accepted reality of the child being his blood meer hours ago. After a few more minutes, the so called time traveller decided to speak, his voice choked with emotions.

"My father is Warren McGinnis, no matter what some blood test says. With all my crap, he was the one who made sure I got what I needed and he didn't deserve what happened to him. So, Wayne, we're not going to discuss what you want to do next. I'm going to give you the short version of what happened between the last sighting of Batman and my taking up the cowl. Then, we will figure out if Powers even exists in this world and what needs to happen."

Of all the things…

"Alright." Bruce agreed, not liking just how the kid had handed him an exact order of details of what he was going to do. "You want to save your father, but you don't even know if he or this Powers even exists. If the answer is no, than what? Still try to get back to your time?"

"I don't know." Terry admitted. "I don't see myself taking up any other… pass times. I do what I do because I'm good at it."

Bruce tilted his head, conceding that he needed to test Terry's knowledge of the here and now. He had his own style, his own way of doing things, and he knew Bruce's habits. "What did you do besides go to highschool, Terry?"

"I worked as the PA of a much older Bruce Wayne." Terry answered. "Your butler, Alfred, knows that."

"Alfred keeps his own counsel. Anything else vital that I need to know?" he prodded, keeping his voice low and even.

Terry shifted until he was a little straighter, fingers hanging limply, deceptively. Both of the Dynamic Duo knew just how quick that position could change. "Powers is something of a cross between Freeze and Ivy, though his powers are the cause of a radiation treatment used to kill a bio-engineered disease created by your company. It's why my old man died."

Bruce flinched, under the mask. There was anger there and he had a feeling Terry knew right where to dig to cause a guilt reaction. The teenager really did know him. "What else?"

"Freeze will live longer than the rest. Even if his head is removed, something about the chemicals that he was exposed to changed him. The Joker's smart, smarter than anyone can guess. He'll use that against you every chance he gets. Quinn needs to be separated from him in order to get her the help she needs. She is treatable, but only as long as she thinks the Joker is out of her reach. She has a pair of granddaughters that just love to run me through the muck. The Scarecrow has a family backing, but I don't know who. He'll have a great-nephew who teams up with Quinn's granddaughters."

"I don't know if your Batgirl is the same as mine, but she's a good person. Stubborn and easier to make an enemy of than a friend. She does not like me." Terry shook his head, a half laugh in the back of his throat. "I think you should know that if I found a way through time, any of my Gallery could as well. That's the other thing we'll have to discuss, but right now… I think I want to punch you."

"You've said your piece." Bruce stated. "Now, I'll say mine. You've got a lot of information and we need to trust that you aren't leading us around by our nose. You have inside information on mostly myself, though you trust Alfred. Your reactions and actions around Dick tell me you're more familiar with the information we've got on him than personal history. You've indicated several times that you expected him to have another name. I want to know what that is."

Robin blinked. Yeah, Terry had also given up his last name during this conversation, whether he meant to or not. Terry McGinnis, age sixteen. He was smart, though a bit rough… Perhaps he'd gone to the public high school?

"Nightwing." Terry confessed. "I'd expected him to be out of the short pants and into his own leotard by now, but you know… spandex is last century. Have you thought about kevlar?"

"Do you have any other family?" He asked, ignoring the snide remarks about their uniforms. Honestly, if the boy had been his P.A. than he should know that snotty attitude wasn't going to work for long.

Terry's breath hitched. "My mom and little brother."

Oh, Terry was going to play the short answers, unless he had something to add. Or it upset him. Bruce nodded, memorizing each answer, action, and emotion with ease. "Names, ages, careers. I want to know what your father did as well. Where they work. As much information as you can give me, since we're going to be discussing my company as well."

"Don't forget your personal life, Wayne." Terry added.

Bruce almost smiled. Tit for tat and Terry fought dirty. "Let's get changed first, have something to eat, and perhaps have a civil conversation in friendlier surroundings?"

Dick lifted a hand. "I'm starved, B. Whaddaya say Terry? Aren't you hungry? I mean teenagers like us could eat a lot of food."

Terry nodded, slowly pushing himself to his feet. "Fine." he answered.

(break)

Alfred Pennyworth finally, finally got through the doctor's office only for him to run into a young Barbara Gordon leaving the dentist next door. The young woman smiled at them before running over to give the Butler a friendly greeting. "Hello, Mister Pennyworth. I've been meaning to call, but things just got so busy. How's Dick doing? We've not had a chance to speak in a couple of days…."

"Miss Gordon, might I introduce the young Master Jason. Master Bruce and Master Dick are at home at the moment helping another young guest to settle in. He's a temperamental sort, though I do think he'll fit right in. How's your father?"

Barbara found her brain under strain to keep up with Alfred's revelations. Still, the young woman shoved her hand out to Jason. "Hi, I'm Barbara. What should I call you?"

Jason had barely got his thoughts under his own control when this new storm of energy confronted him. Batman had arrested him, he'd been fostered to one of the richest guys in Gotham, and now he found the Police Commissioner's daughter wanted to shake his hand. Tentatively he reached out and took her fingers in his. "Jason." he answered, resisting the urge to duck behind the Butler. He wasn't a little kid….

"That's great. I have to run now. Alfred, tell Dick to call me. Jason, maybe we can do pizza or something next time I get up to the manor." she exclaimed even as she took off at a run. Waving bye, the red head disappeared down the road rather quickly.

Staring at the empty space Jason looked up at Alfred. "What just happened?"


End file.
